The Brooks Review

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Casio Duro MDV-106 Re-ReviewDecember 15, 2022
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Grand Seiko SBGX261February 23, 2023

Recent Articles

  • Woom Bikes

    I am very confident this is the best bike you can buy a kid learning to ride a bike.

    Let me start by saying: these bikes are for young kids and they are really expensive. But, there’s a reason I am writing about them: they are absurdly good.

    I think my daughter was 3 or 4 when we got her a bike. It was a Hello Kitty bike we snagged from Target, a while later we got my youngest a bike at 3, a Minnie Mouse bike from Target. These run somewhere around $100. They are heavy and basically like the bikes I had growing up. In other words, they are what I think of, when I think of “kids bike”.

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  • Eno Billow Air Lounge

    A really fun, portable hammock like thing, that will have you cursing when you try to inflate it.

    I snagged an ENO Billow Air Lounger from REI during a sale, and took it with me camping with 5 young kids and three dads. I wanted to snag a hammock, but then I realized how potentially dangerous that would be as I had visions of kids flipping out of a hammock on the trip, so I stuck with this — it’s basically a ground hammock.

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  • iPad Productivity Report — 8/21/17

    Looking at Files.app for iOS, and an update on my password app search.

    This week I update you on my search for a 1Password replacement and talk about what Files.app really means for iOS. Or at least what it should mean.

    You must be a member to read this post.

  • Subscription Attrition

    Some thoughts on subscriptions, stability, money, and scalability of the problem.

    I’ve been running this site as a “member” supported site since July of 2012. That’s what I call my subscription based, paywall model, a member-site. I’ve tried a lot of different methods to what I charge for, over the years, so I know a thing or two about subscriptions. I’m not selling software, but the consumer mindset on most any recurring payment is similar across the aisles. I’m sure Amazon could tell you some amazing stories about people being unwilling to use ‘Subscribe and Save’, but we are going to have to wait awhile for that TED talk.

    When I first started thinking about subscriptions, I had to try and guess at how many people would actually pay for something they previously got for free. I had no clue how to start this guess — there’s basically no good method. Page views and unique visitors seemed like a bad place to look, as did followers on social media. So instead I went to RSS subscribers. I figured they were among the more interested and loyal people. I had about 12,000 RSS subscribers at the time.

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  • An Interview with Louis Rossetto, co-founder of Wired

    Louis Rossetto, in an interview with Om Malik: I don’t mean, in a Silicon Valley sense, “making a better world” as part of a business plan. If people believed and acted like the relationships they have and the actions they do can directly make things better, the world would get better. I truly believe that.…

    Louis Rossetto, in an interview with Om Malik:

    I don’t mean, in a Silicon Valley sense, “making a better world” as part of a business plan. If people believed and acted like the relationships they have and the actions they do can directly make things better, the world would get better. I truly believe that. It’s this micro decision-making level of individuals that matters the most.

    Great interview, with a ton of insights on the world today. Well worth the read.

  • Unobstruct Clears a Path to a Better Web Reading Experience

    Fantastic app.

    Fantastic app.

  • The new Ulysses subscription plan is a wonderful idea

    David Hewson: For some reason the internet has encouraged us to place little value on the things we use, even the ones we rely on heavily day to day. It’s not just software. Books have been discounted and devalued in many places to the point where the people who write them get a pittance in…

    David Hewson:

    For some reason the internet has encouraged us to place little value on the things we use, even the ones we rely on heavily day to day. It’s not just software. Books have been discounted and devalued in many places to the point where the people who write them get a pittance in return for their work. Apps have been driven down to price points where people buy them casually, never use loads of them, then wonder why the things don’t get fixed or improved then disappear a few years down the line.

    He hits on a great point: buying ‘casually’ as he puts it is a huge issue. Things you buy causally, you tend not to care about, until you have good reason to care about them. This is why I’ll continue to beat the drum: raise your fucking app price. If you want to have fewer people complain about paying for your app, raise it beyond a price where people buy it casually.

    The prime example of this is Omnigroup.

    I’d say the bottom end price should be $24.99.

  • Triple Aught Design Recon RS Jacket

    One of my favorite jackets for cool, not cold, weather.

    Months ago I set out to find a good jacket for summer/spring and days where I need a light layer on top, but nothing wind/water/insulating, just something to toss on. I wanted something which wasn’t typical cotton, and I stumbled on Triple Aught Design’s Recon RS jacket. It’s a Nylon-Cotton blend which is quite popular in technical minded clothing arena, with a overall military look to it.

    I picked up the ME Green color, but also ordered a “Deception” which I returned as it was too large. The Green is a much better color for me, as Deception was overall too dark (but a very cool color). I’ve been using this jacket for a few months now, both at the coast, and camping.

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  • Subscription Software

    Matt Gemmell: The important point is that, if you’re able to readily switch to a different app when your current one changes its payment model, then… do it. Just vote with your wallet, and don’t worry about it. To write a pissy review of an app you liked yesterday, in an attempt to vengefully damage…

    Matt Gemmell:

    The important point is that, if you’re able to readily switch to a different app when your current one changes its payment model, then… do it. Just vote with your wallet, and don’t worry about it. To write a pissy review of an app you liked yesterday, in an attempt to vengefully damage their business, is pretty reprehensible, right? It’s like giving one star on Amazon because the delivery was late. Don’t be a child. Move on.

    See also his rules for deciding on whether a subscription is worth it on an app by app basis. I love subscriptions, but only for the apps I get the most use out of. I don’t pay for a lot of apps because I don’t need or use them. I’d love for others to be subscription so I can more readily try them out, without feeling like I pissed away $20 on something which ultimately didn’t work out.

  • Three Pocket Knives

    EDC, Backup, and something to draw less attention — what more could you need?

    Earlier this year I worked to purge most of my pockets knives, and now with exception to only waiting to be sold, I am down to only three pocket knives. I’ve had this setup for a couple months now and could not be happier with it.

    Here’s what I kept, and why.

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  • Subscriptions

    Dr Drang talking through subscription based apps, with regard to Ulysses: If I were interested in Ulysses but hadn’t yet given it a try, I might see the subscription service as a positive. Ulysses used to cost $45 for the Mac and $25 for iOS. Now I could give both versions a good, solid two-month…

    Dr Drang talking through subscription based apps, with regard to Ulysses:

    If I were interested in Ulysses but hadn’t yet given it a try, I might see the subscription service as a positive. Ulysses used to cost $45 for the Mac and $25 for iOS. Now I could give both versions a good, solid two-month trial for $10. If they don’t fit my way of working, I walk away $60 ahead and knowing exactly why I shouldn’t continue the subscription. This is the sort of in-depth knowledge you don’t typically get with the common 7- or 14-day trials.

    This is a must read post for some good old logic.

  • Ulysses Moves to the Subscription Model

    David Sparks on set reactions to the Ulysses change: What you shouldn’t do is trash the app in review because you’re not happy with the business model. Here’s Ulysses’s rating as of a few minutes ago. This App deserves so much more than 2.5 stars. This was inevitable. Ulysses is historically a 5 star app,…

    David Sparks on set reactions to the Ulysses change:

    What you shouldn’t do is trash the app in review because you’re not happy with the business model. Here’s Ulysses’s rating as of a few minutes ago. This App deserves so much more than 2.5 stars.

    This was inevitable. Ulysses is historically a 5 star app, and it will return to form once the morons stop venting.

  • iPad Productivity Report — 8/14/17

    Collaboration tools for documents and screen sharing, and a look at iOS 11’s dock setup.

    A couple core collaboration tools for working effectively with Mac users, and the why and how of iOS 11’s Dock, which changes quite a lot all on its own.

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

  • Site Note: new host/server

    Because life could be easy, or you could try and migrate this shit to a new server.

    I’ll have more to say about this at a later time, but I’ve moved this site to a new server. If you are seeing this, you’re seeing the new server. There’s only one issue I know of: SSL is not yet working correctly. Otherwise, everything should be fine. So if you see something, say something?

    Yeah, let’s go with that.

    Thanks

  • The Member Sale

    A couple times a year, I need to make some closet space and purge things I’m not using often. This is that time, so if you are a member go take a look at what’s up for sale. I’ve got keyboards, bags, knives, and more listed. Thanks!

    A couple times a year, I need to make some closet space and purge things I’m not using often. This is that time, so if you are a member go take a look at what’s up for sale. I’ve got keyboards, bags, knives, and more listed.

    Thanks!

  • Fixed Blades (video)

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    You must be a member to view this content.

  • Aer Fit Pack 2

    A really strong contender for your everyday backpack carry.

    Note: this bag was sent to me from Aer for review purposes.

    If you read the Duffel Pack 2 review and thought: that’s nice but wish it were smaller, well then… Aer’s Fit Pack 2 is for people who want the same utility of their larger bags, but in a smaller format — for me it’s an ideal size everyday backpack.

    At roughly 19 liters, this bag strikes a nice size, enough for what you need everyday, and a little extra for those days when you need to pack more. In typical Aer fashion, this bag is both backpack and duffel bag, with a large duffel compartment running the length of the bag on the top, and a laptop sleeve and organization section against the wearers back. And yes, it includes the shoe compartment, just as the Duffel Pack, but in this bag it eats almost the entire duffel compartment if you use it.

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  • Morakniv Eldris

    It looks cute, but performs tough.

    I recently wrote about the ESEE Izula, and talked about small fixed blade knives. The Eldris is another in the small fixed blade knife category, made by the well known and respected Morakniv (“Mora”). I purchased this knife quite some time ago after seeing it winning some awards for the design and usefulness of the knife.

    Morakniv knives are well known and well regarded. They are inexpensive, and preform generally well as survival knives and in many other circumstances. I’ve personally never been fond of them, but the Eldris is so well liked by so many people, and so light, that I picked one up. They generally cost about $30.

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  • Aer Duffel Pack 2

    A unique and smartly organized duffle/backpack hybrid bag.

    Note: this backpack was sent to me from Aer for the purposes of this review.

    Aer was one of the first companies I saw doing a duffel pack — a duffelbag-backpack, hybrid. I see them all over when I am shopping around for bags, and they’ve always intrigued me. I never tested the first version, so this review is based solely on what the Duffel Pack 2 is.

    Aer makes this bag targeted at people looking for one bag to carry all their work gear along with their gym gear — in that sense this is a niche bag. However, in practice it’s a fairly normal backpack and can be used as such. To test the bag I took it on a long trip to the Washington Coast, and put it through its paces there.

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  • Ulysses Switches to Subscription

    Big news from the world’s best writing app, they are switching to a subscription model — which also allow you to pay once and get Ulysses on Mac and iOS. Great change, and reasonable pricing too. I know first hand how expensive it is to develop apps, so I am glad to see my favorite…

    Big news from the world’s best writing app, they are switching to a subscription model — which also allow you to pay once and get Ulysses on Mac and iOS. Great change, and reasonable pricing too. I know first hand how expensive it is to develop apps, so I am glad to see my favorite app switching to a more sustainable model.

    Now, to the more important news, Ulysses changed their iOS icon. Gone is the gradient on the butterfly. What a fantastic change, kudos.