Modern Simple Living

Gear Review Review of the Seiko Chronograph SSB003 A budget-friendly timepiece for everyday versatility ~4 Months Owned 1 Model Reviewed 1 Strap Paired 2 Brands Mentioned Table of Contents ① Design and Comfort ② Performance and Usability ③ Everyday Versatility ④ Conclusion I purchased the Seiko Chronograph model SSB003 about four months ago in November 2014, and it has quickly become a favorite in my collection. Here’s a brief overview of my experience with this timepiece.     Section I Design and Comfort The stock metal bracelet is comfortable enough for daily wear, but I prefer the look and feel of the watch on a leather strap. Currently, I have it paired with a Hirsch Liberty strap, which contrasts beautifully with the silver dial. This combination gives the watch a classic yet understated appearance—almost like a 'poor man's' Hamilton Khaki. Section II Performance and Usability The main issue is its legibility in low-light conditions; the lack of luminescent mater...

Gear Review Linux RAID 0 on USB Flash Drives *Doubling Speed and Storage with Off-the-Shelf USBs* 2 Drives 64 GB Array RAID 0 ~50% Read Increase Table of Contents ① Introduction: The Quest for USB RAID ② Building the RAID 0 Array ③ Performance Benchmarks ④ Conclusion: Practicality and Future Thoughts Section I Introduction: The Quest for USB RAID I was able to create a Linux RAID 0 Array with two (2) SanDisk 32gb Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Drives. I opted for RAID 0 - Striping as it would give me one logical 64gb Drive with theoretically 'double' the speed. Due to the Linux Test Machine having only USB 2.0 ports, the theoretical maximum it could achieve is limited by USB 2.0 max speed of 480mbits/sec (roughly 60mb/sec).   Section II Building the RAID 0 Array Initial Setup & Single Drive Performance Initial test of a Single USB Flash Drive showed a 30mb/sec Read Speed. To begin, I installed mdadm , which was conveniently located in the Ubuntu Software Center. I reviewed other ...

Gear Review Quick Review of the SanDisk CZ48 USB 3.0 Ultra Flash Drives _A personal take on a budget-friendly USB 3.0 drive's performance._ 32 GB Capacity 2 Items ~$17 Price 75 MB/s Read 25 MB/s Write Table of Contents ① Performance ② Pros ③ Cons ④ Conclusion I recently purchased two 32GB SanDisk CZ48 USB 3.0 Ultra Flash Drives for $17 each on Amazon. If I had acted a bit sooner, I might have snagged them for $14.99 each, but that’s hindsight for you. Here’s a breakdown of my experience with one of these drives, particularly during large file transfers.   Section I Performance Read/Write Speeds → Read Speed — 75 MB/second → Write Speed — 25 MB/second SanDisk clearly states that the CZ48 drives are optimized for read speed. The write speed of 25 MB/second is decent, especially compared to the 4-10 MB/second speeds I typically got with USB 2.0 drives. Given that these drives are priced similarly to USB 2.0 Cruzer Glides of the same capacity, opting for the CZ48 Ultra is a no-b...

Gear Review Audio-Technica MTH-50 Review: One Year Later An enduring review of the Audio-Technica MTH-50 headphones after a year of use. ~1 Year Ownership MTH-50 Model ~5-10 Years Projected Life Reviewed Mar 2014 Table of Contents ① The Long-Term Listen ② Durability and Wear ③ Recommendation Section I The Long-Term Listen It has been almost a year since I purchased the Audio-Technica MTH-50 headphones, and they are still going strong. I blogged about them back in March 2014, and I can confidently say they continue to sound fantastic—perhaps even better than when I first got them. While I wouldn’t necessarily attribute this improvement to "burn-in," I do think that as you become accustomed to their sound signature, you start to notice more of the subtle details that might have been blurry or drowned out in cheaper headphones.   Section II Durability and Wear In hindsight, the 'white' color looked cool initially, but it has proven to be a magnet for dirt and grime. ...

Gear Review My Journey with Linux: Installing Lubuntu on a Toshiba Netbook *Reviving an old Toshiba Netbook with a lightweight Linux distribution* ~2 Hours Setup 1 Netbook 1GB RAM 2 OS Distributions Table of Contents ① Introduction ② Toshiba Netbook Specs ③ Lubuntu Installation Guide ④ Dual Boot Considerations ⑤ Closing Thoughts Section I Introduction Linux distributions have come a long way since I last attempted to install Ubuntu in 2009. My recent experience with Lubuntu 14.10 was effortless in terms of installation, and the layout is incredibly intuitive. I was literally up and running within minutes, and within about two hours, I had completely switched to Linux on my Toshiba Netbook NB505.   Section II Toshiba Netbook Specs The Toshiba is a weak machine, and its specifications are nothing to write home about. It has a puny Intel Atom N455 processor running at 1.67 GHz, 1 GB of RAM, and a 250 GB HDD. Running Windows 7 Starter was a painful experience; while I managed to t...

Gear Review Classic Choice: Casio G-Shock 6900-1V A first look at the iconic and no-frills G-Shock model. 1 Watch ~$40 USD 1 Day Owned Section I Initial Impressions I've always wanted a 6900 series G-Shock, and I decided on the classic version: the plain 6900-1V model. I was a bit worried about the size since the 100B I bought last year was just too big and tall. While the 6900 is larger than a 5600, it’s not as overwhelming as the 100B.   Buttons: A Plus One significant advantage of the 6900 over the 5600 is the placement of the light button, located up front in the Big G below the watch display. The buttons are plain metal pushers, which are still easier to press than those on the 5600. Features Lacking One thing I noticed that's lacking is the World Time feature. I actually like this option, and the 5600 has it. My old Pathfinder 1300 was even better, with its large display allowing toggling up or down, while the 5600 only goes in one direction. Closing Thoughts It's o...

Gear Review First Purchase of 2015: Casio G-Shock 6900-1V Kicking off the year with an impulse timepiece. 1 Watch $38 Price 2015 Year ~3 Days Arrival Section I A New Acquisition So, my first purchase of 2015 is a Casio G-Shock 6900-1V for just $38. I've always wanted a basic 6900, and I figured, why not? It should be here in a few days.   On Hold: The Seiko SARB I was initially expecting to buy the Seiko SARB, but I'm still wavering on which color dial to choose. Plus, they recently spiked the price by $30. I think I'll wait for it to go back down, and then it’ll be my second purchase of 2015... maybe! Here's to more great gear and good decisions in 2015!

Food & Drink Rediscovering Johnnie Walker Red Label *Revisiting an old classic with a renewed appreciation.* 2 Whiskies 1 Rediscovery ~Many Years Section I A Welcome Return After all these years, I'm surprised at how much I still enjoy Johnnie Walker Red Label. It has just enough bite and harshness to remind you that you're drinking whisky, which isn't always apparent with its more tame stablemates. Normally, I consume Black Label as my main go-to whisky drink, but there’s just something about Red Label that keeps me coming back.   Cheers to the enduring charm of a familiar pour!

Gear Review My Seiko SSB003 Arrival and Review *A budget-friendly chronograph with a retro racing aesthetic* 40mm Diameter 10mm Height +/-15 Accuracy (s/mo) 8 Model Variations Section I Aesthetics The Seiko SSB003 has finally arrived. It is a very nice watch that offers a sophisticated look at an accessible price point.   → Dial — Features a glossy silver finish rather than a true white; it is a highly appealing color that is difficult to capture in photos. → Sub-Dial — Three registers located at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock; the black color provides a sharp contrast against the silver dial. → Bracelet — A 20mm steel bracelet; while it feels somewhat cheap and rattly, it is functional and consistent with the Seiko 5 SNKK series. → Bezel — An interesting design feature; the watch utilizes a unibody case, meaning the bezel is integrated rather than a separate piece. → Size — A classic 40mm diameter with a 10mm height, providing a conservative, comfortable feel similar to an Omega Seama...