Gadgets

Phones, audio, watches, drones and the small stuff that quietly runs your day.

The BRO Code. What to do, what not to do, and a few laughs on the way.

The BRO Gear GuideBuy once, fix it, pass it down: a cost-per-use calculator, a warranty decoder and a repairability checklist.Judge it before you buy

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GuideDean ShawSep 22, 20265 min

Lock down every account you own in one evening

Three hours, one notebook, and a short list of accounts in the right order. Do it once properly and you won't have to think about it again for years.

GuideDean ShawSep 22, 20266 min

The home internet numbers that matter, and the ones that don't

Most households pay for speed they can't use and ignore the two things that actually make the connection feel bad.

Ask BRO

Plan a cook for eight people

Ask it

GuideDean ShawSep 22, 20266 min

Three copies of every photo you would grieve losing

Most family photo archives are one dropped phone or one dead drive away from gone. Fixing that takes an afternoon and about an hour a year after that.

GermProof.com — An invisible germ barrier on your skin for hours

PartnerGermProof.com

5 min read

How to buy a laptop that's still good in five years

Most laptops don't die. They get slow, swollen and unrepairable — and almost all of that's decided the day you buy.

Poll

How many days a week are you actually training?

GuideDean ShawSep 22, 20265 min

Smart home kit that earns its place, and kit that just sits there

A simple test for every connected device in your house, plus the short list worth buying and the longer list worth skipping.

GuideDean ShawSep 22, 20266 min

Back up everything so a lost phone is just a bad afternoon

Photos are the easy part. The thing that actually ruins your week is losing the ability to log into anything you own.

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GuideDean ShawSep 22, 20266 min

When a new phone is worth it and when to skip a year

Most upgrades buy you a slightly better camera and a fresh battery. Only one of those is worth paying full price for.

Quiz

Does your wardrobe actually fit you?

Five questions, honestly answered, and a plan for the next two weeks.

GuideDean ShawSep 22, 20266 min

Buy headphones for your week, not for the review scores

The best-sounding pair is worthless if it's uncomfortable by hour two or dead in your bag. Match the gear to how you actually listen.

Your zip code decides more about vitamin D than the pill aisle

Latitude, skin, waistline and desk job all move your vitamin D. One blood draw tells you where you stand, and most men can skip the guessing.

Ask BRO

Build me a 30-day training plan around two sessions a week

Ask it

GuideCarsDean ShawNov 7, 20265 min

A hum that changes in the turns is a wheel bearing talking

A wheel bearing hums at 40 mph and gets louder when you steer. That's the clue that tells you which corner of the car to look at.

Dude.com — 16 AI advisers who listen, talk and are here with you

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GuideStyleDean ShawNov 7, 20265 min

Your shirt fits. The cloth is what's fighting you.

Cotton can be tissue or tent canvas. Learn weight and weave and you'll know why a garment feels wrong before you buy it.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

GuideGearWes DunbarNov 7, 20265 min

Your work belt doesn't sag because it's cheap. It sags because it's loaded wrong.

Before you spend a dime on a new tool belt, find out what's actually dragging your pants down. Then buy the belt that fixes it.

GuideWoodworkingWes DunbarNov 7, 20265 min

Make your own mallet, and keep steel off your chisels

A hardwood mallet takes one afternoon and a board you can buy for the price of a pizza. It's also the best first lesson in joinery you'll get.

Names.com — The name is the first thing you sell

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GuideTools & OrganizingDean ShawNov 7, 20266 min

Most stripped screws are the wrong driver, not bad luck

A #2 Phillips in a Pozidriv screw will chew it up. Here's which tip goes where, what a decent set costs, and which cheap sets are worth it.

Quiz

Is your money actually in order?

Six questions. No email required, no sales pitch at the end.

Health5 min

Take Your Pulse Before Coffee, and Do It for Two Weeks

Cars5 min

Ten minutes and a voltmeter before you buy another battery

Ask BRO

Rewrite my CV so it actually gets read

Ask it

GuideStyleDean ShawNov 6, 20265 min

Fix the collar that curls and the cuff that slides

Most collar and cuff trouble comes down to a quarter inch of fit or one missing piece of plastic. Here's how to find yours and fix it.

CancerDefying.com — The research, protocols and reading in one place

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Gear5 min read

A cooler that holds ice till Sunday, and when a cheap one wins

A good cooler is mostly a lid, a seal and a few parts you can replace. Here's what to look for, what to skip, and when the cheap one is right.

Poll

When did you last ask for a raise?

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