Welcome to this week's edition of our Friday Quality Linkage column. Please enjoy this week’s collection of interesting and entertaining links. Brew a fresh cup of coffee, find a comfortable place, and relax.
Featured Links
Photo: Austin Mann
Austin Mann's iPhone 11 Pro Camera Review »
You know what's better than a new iPhone coming out? Austin Mann taking it to some exotic place to review its photographic capabilities. [Previously: The iPhone 7/7 Plus, the iPhone 8 Plus, and the iPhone X.]
His review of the iPhone 11 Pro camera has him shooting in a number of scenarios in China:
I’m here as I continue on-going work photographing The Bach Project w/ Yo-Yo Ma, a world tour where Yo-Yo is performing Bach in unconventional places around the globe. It’s been a privilege to photograph this amazing journey, and when I considered how to test the iPhone 11 Pro’s new capabilities, I thought a shoot on this project could be a great fit as many of these shoots have been in extremely low light!
Of course, I’ve also been anxious to see what this Ultra Wide lens can do, so shortly after the performance I popped out to the countryside to find some epic landscapes and have been out exploring this big, beautiful country ever since.
The 11 Pro really showcases the power of Night Mode:
Photo: Austin Mann
*whistles*
A Week on the Wrist: The Apple Watch Series 5 Edition in Titanium »
You know what's better than a new Apple Watch coming ou- ...hang on, are you guys feeling a little déjà vu right now too? Weird.
Anyway, the watch enthusiasts over at Hodinkee put up their review of the Series 5 Apple Watch, with insights and photos galore:
It's important to remember that while Apple Watch is now five years old, it's still a relatively young product and one that’s still maturing at a relatively quick clip. Each year doesn't just mean a faster chip set or more battery life – it means a reimagining of the scope and purpose of the Apple Watch and the way it can fit into customers' lives. That's something worth getting excited about.
The review video above is also well worth a watch (no pun intended).
9/21/19 »
This week saw the arrival of September 21st, and you know what that means: Demi Adejuyigbe's annual silly dance video. That bit with the TV was brilliant.
As usual, you can buy the shirt and support a great cause.
Photo: Seemi Samuel
How to Ask Someone for Career Advice Without Being Annoying »
Talia Jane, in a column for Vice, writes about how, actually, it can hurt to ask someone to grab coffee and pick their brain:
If you’re new to a field or dreaming of a career but unsure how to get it, odds are you’ve come across the phrase: “there’s no harm in asking” when it comes to seeking advice. Fire off that email, slide into that DM, ask that person to help you climb the ladder and seize your glory! This, my beautiful new best friend, is based on acutely outdated thinking.
[…]
As worker productivity has hit mind-boggling new heights over the last thirty years and the gig economy is steadily taking over our lives, the midcentury “gumption” tactic has been replaced with asking a distant connection, or even truly random person, out for coffee to “pick their brain.” It’s an attractive little phrase to indicate minimal time waste: I’d just like to pluck some stray thoughts from your noggin! No worries if not!!
ɴ ᴏ ᴡ ᴏ ʀ ʀ ɪ ᴇ s ɪ ғ ɴ ᴏ ᴛ — that one hit close to home right there.
The rest of the piece has some great tips for boosting your chances if you're truly wanting to get advice from established figures.
Miscellaneous Links
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?: Don't mind me, I'll just be here poring over the incredible creatures and other creations of hand-embroidery artist Laura Baverstock:
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??: On a recent Reddit post featuring a gif showing the making of apple wine, commenter and homebrewer u/silencesc took umbrage with its many errors, offering an alternative method worth bookmarking, followed by some good discussion with other homebrewers.
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?: I recently stumbled across a phenomenon of people taking lengthy guitar lesson/masterclass videos from John Mayer's Instagram Live feed and putting them up on YouTube. They're like a wealth of instruction on musicianship, should you choose to dig through them.
This is the first one I watched, which sort of lets you get a glimpse into how Mayer looks at guitar playing and music theory. Here's another one from a couple days ago where he jams to bluesy backing tracks on Spotify.
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?: On the subject of music on YouTube, Universal Pictures recently put up a compilation of every music performance scene from the relevant-as-ever 2010 film, Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. One can only hope that uploading something from a 9-year-old movie out of the blue means they have a potential sequel in the works...right?
Neat Stuff We've Published Recently
★ Guide: Maps of Fictional Worlds ??
- ? Mindbending, relentlessly surprising sci-fi thriller: Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
- ? Lossless wireless audio across four game systems: SteelSeries “Arctis 1 Wireless” Gaming Headset for Nintendo Switch & More
- ?♂️ Comfy as any tee, warm enough for brisk days: Wool & Prince Heavy Crew Neck Sweatshirts
- ?? Now available: How To book by Randall Munroe
- ☕️ Drip coffee with more precision and control than you likely need: Breville BDC450 “Precision Brewer” Coffee Maker
- ? Mobile automation is within your grasp: The MacSparky Shortcuts Field Guide, iOS 13 Edition
- ? One ladder that does the job of five: Little Giant “Velocity” Convertible Ladder
- ? Build better habits by tracking them: Baron Fig + James Clear “Clear Habit Journal”
- ? Add a casual yet whimsical layer to any room: Rifle Paper Co. x Loloi “Painted Stripe” Braided Rug Collection
- ?♀️ Awesomely waterproof, German-made roll-top bags for your bike: Ortlieb “Back-Roller Classic” Bike Panniers
Got any suggestions for articles, videos, stories, photographs, and any other links you think we should be posting in our weekly Quality Linkage? Please do let us know on Twitter.