Simple Living

Quick Review of the SanDisk CZ48 USB 3.0 Ultra Flash Drives 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. 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-brainer. However, if you require faster write speeds, I recommend looking into the Extreme CZ80 or Extreme Pro CZ88 models. Pros Decent Read Speed: The read speeds are impressive for the price point. Good Price: Comparable to ...

Audio-Technica MTH-50 Review: One Year Later 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. Durability and Wear In hindsight, the 'white' color looked cool initially, but it has proven to be a magnet for dirt and grime. The pleather headband, in particular, is showing some wear and tear, and I worry that it may eventually peel and crack. However, this wear doesn’t detract from the sound quality, and I believe these headphones will remain usable for a long time. That said, I do wish Audio-Technica ...

My Journey with Linux: Installing Lubuntu on a Toshiba Netbook 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. 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 tweak it for reasonable functionality, tasks like watching a full movie or browsing the internet were nearly impossible. Basic typing was about all the Netbook could handle. However, with Linux, the Netbook has received a new lease on life. While it has only marginally improved boot times and overall task performance, it now ma...

Classic Choice: Casio G-Shock 6900-1V 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 only been a day, so it's too early to tell how I feel overall. However, I do like the black color, which fits the 'tool'...

First Purchase of 2015: Casio G-Shock 6900-1V 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. 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!

Rediscovering Johnnie Walker Red Label 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.

My Seiko SSB003 Arrival and Review It arrived! I got the Seiko SSB003 in the mail, and it's a very nice watch. Aesthetics Dial: More of a glossy silver than 'white.' Pics don't do it justice; it's a very appealing color. Sub-Dial: Three registers at 3, 6, and 9 o'clock. The black color contrasts nicely with the silver dial. Bracelet: 20mm steel. It's cheap and rattly but okay. Identical to one used on some SNKK Seiko 5 series. Bezel: Interesting design— the case is a unibody, so the bezel is not a separate piece. Size: A nice 40mm watch with a more conservative and classic feel. The height is about 10mm, comparable in dimensions to my Omega Seamaster 2531.80. Weight: The case has some heft, while the bracelet is very light; the total weight is the same as my Rolex Explorer. Usage Chronograph: Uses the 6T63 movement. Some call it a 'MechaQuartz' since the chronograph functions just like a pure mechanical chronograph watch. The big red seconds h...

Exploring Seiko's SNDF and SCEB Lines Wow, there are indeed an endless number of Seiko models! The SNDF line stands out with its retro and classy vibes. Here are a few models I find particularly appealing: SNDF35 - White/Red Stripe SNDF37 - Black, Red Bezel SNDF87 - White/Blue, Orange Seconds SNDF93 - White/Blue, Yellow Seconds I’m considering picking one up, leaning towards the 87 or 93, but the 35 looks gorgeous too! Bezel Issues with the SNDF Models After some thought, I'm glad I didn't pull the trigger right away. The SNDF35 and SNDF37 models have a redundant 12-hour bezel, which doesn’t add much functional value. While their color schemes are nice, the extra hour mark indicators seem unnecessary. The SNDF87 is beautiful, but I’ve noticed complaints online regarding the blue bezel. As I examine it more closely, I tend to agree—it feels like a design misstep. Plus, they seem large; I hope they’re not beyond 42mm. Other Considerations: SNDD and SCEB I also have my...

Exploring Seiko Watches What is it with Seiko watches? I’m smitten with several models lately! The SSB007 chronograph is stunning and vividly reminds me of my first watch, a humble Guess Chronograph. The Arctura GMT model SUN003 with a black dial is also amazing, showcasing futuristic curves and design. I miss my old Guess Chronograph; while it wasn’t anything special horologically, it holds sentimental value as my first watch. The SSB line looks awfully close, and some are going for $100 brand new on Amazon, making them very affordable!   SSB003 - White Panda To help me decide, I’m listing various models and styles to pick which one is right for me. So far, I like the first few in the series: the 001, 003, 007, or 013. SSB001 - White SSB003 - Silver/black Panda, red seconds SSB005 - Blue SSB007 - Black SSB009 - White, gold TT SSB011 - Black, black bezel, red seconds SSB013 - White/black Panda, red seconds SSB015 - Black (looks identical to 007) SSB017 - White, Roman XII,...

Audio Technica Experience Absolutely! The Audio Technica M50s really do sound better with age. Some people refer to it as "burning in," but I think it's more about getting used to their sound and becoming familiar with their audio signature. However, there are limits to their use. The M50s block out external sound quite a bit, which isn't great at work when someone might be yelling my name across the office or cubicle, and I can't hear them. Plus, you can crank up the volume without realizing it, but others can definitely hear you since they leak sound quite a bit. They’re also not ideal when wearing glasses or while on the move, like walking or running. However, for a busy coffee shop, a noisy airplane ride, or when you just want to chill in bed with some tunes, they're perfect. On the other hand, I found the smaller Audio Technica WM77s to be perfect for work. They provide a decent soundstage without sacrificing the ability to hear others around me in the of...

Enjoying Studying at Home I'm really enjoying studying at home. It’s much more convenient and cheaper! I'm loving it. I'm actually doing this while I have to do laundry, as I wanted to take care of it today so I can be totally free tomorrow.

Studying at Home This weekend, I'm studying at home and picked up some Starbucks drinks at the local grocery store. They taste surprisingly good and are cheaper than buying them at the actual Starbucks shop. While there's definitely joy in drinking coffee at Starbucks, this is a great alternative when I want to stay in. My favorite drink is the 11 oz Iced Coffee with Milk (ICM). At only 50 calories, it's not bad at all!

Coffee Bean Study Session I found a spot available at Coffee Bean! Onward to the studies. I switched back to my M50s, which are much better for noisy coffee shops. Let's get to work!

Back to the Books I started my morning by doing laundry and then enjoyed a late lunch. Now, I'm hitting the books again! I brought along my Audio-Technica 55s for some great sound and am using my new iPad case, which is a gorgeous green color. It's so much better than my old drab black case!