Latest news with #BenMcKimm
Man of Many
4 hours ago
- Automotive
- Man of Many
New Honda Prelude Revealed With Civic Type R DNA, Coming to Australia Mid-2026
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 31 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link 0 Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Honda revives Prelude; affordable hybrid sports coupe launching mid-2026 in Australia Targets Mustang, Z, MX-5, GR86 with Civic e:HEV powertrain Type R suspension, wide tracks, and Brembo brakes promise engaging dynamics CVT-based 'S+ Shift' mimics manual; true manual unavailable Sleek exterior, blue-white cockpit; driver seat specially bolstered for sport There's a new affordable sports car on its way to rival the Ford Mustang, Nissan Z, Mazda MX-5, and Toyota GR86. That's right, Honda is bringing back one of its most famous nameplates with the launch of the new Honda Prelude (6th-generation). Due to arrive in Australia in mid-2026, the vehicle is a launch platform (Prelude) to the brand's latest-generation 'e:HEV' hybrid technology, but with a sporty twist. It will be powered by the same two-motor hybrid-electric powerplant as the Civic hybrid. It's sad to see that the new Honda Prelude won't use the 2.0-litre turbocharged 4-cylinder engine in the Civic Type R (329HP/420Nm). However, it will be underpinned by the same suspension, wide front and rear tracks, and Brembo front brakes from the Civic Type R, so we expect it to be a pretty fun momentum car. Sadly, the six-speed manual transmission won't carry over either. It's been replaced by a CVT transmission that mimics the sound and feel of a traditional gearbox and sends power to the front wheels only. Honda calls it the 'S+ Shift system,' and it works with the Active Sound Control (ASC) system in the car to augment a gearbox by syncing the 'upshifts' with engine RPM each time you pull on a paddle. Honda says the new Prelude will 'deliver high levels of driver exhilaration and engagement, including unmatched driving dynamics and fun-to-drive feel,' but we'll be the judge of that once we get behind the wheel. Let's take a closer look! 2026 Honda Prelude | Image: Supplied / Honda While the powertrain choice is a tad disappointing, it's still refreshing to see a compact sports car in the era of oversized, overweight vehicles. The design is near-perfect. It's exactly what a modern-day Prelude should look like, with clean surfacing, a sleek nose, glider-inspired headlights, black chrome plating on the front grille, and a low-slung roofline. Wheels are pushed to the edges to create a wider track, while a closer look reveals a large diffuser and flush door handles. 2026 Honda Prelude | Image: Supplied / Honda 2026 Honda Prelude | Image: Supplied / Honda 2026 Honda Prelude | Image: Supplied / Honda 2026 Honda Prelude | Image: Supplied / Honda When we look inside, the main colour is 'blue × white,' which Honda says expresses the concept of PRELUDE with a light white and deep blue coordination. We love the instrument panel and its attention to detail on the ivory skin finish. Meanwhile, the driver's seat and the passenger seat have different specifications, which is very Ferrari-like. The driver's seat has an increased hold suitable for sports driving, while the passenger seat provides 'moderately wrapped comfort,' according to Honda. Tech-wise, there's a D-shaped design steering wheel with a full-graphic instrument cluster behind it, exclusive to PRELUDE, but further details will be shared closer to the local launch. We don't have specific engine power or torque figures available, but the 2.0-litre 4-cylinder petrol-electric hybrid system in the Civic hybrid e:HEV produces 135kW (approximately 181 HP) and 315Nm of torque. 2026 Honda Prelude | Image: Supplied / Honda The new Honda Prelude will arrive in Australia in mid-2026. 'We're thrilled to add this iconic nameplate to the Honda line-up next year,' said Honda Australia automotive director Robert Thorp at a media roundtable in Melbourne. When asked about who's going to purchase the new Prelude, Thorp said: 'To be honest, older males who used to own them back in the 90s, (could be) buying them again, but you can see it opening up to a female audience as well because of the way it looks and drives and handles, which we've heard about (internally),' he said. 'Maybe they owned one back in the 90s, or had a used one, because that's what they bought during uni and in the 2000s. But this might be something that brings them back.' We don't know how much the new Prelude will cost when it arrives in Australia next year, but Thorp says it will be competitive: 'We think we'll be able to bring a great value package to market.' 'We're very confident that this will be a model that will attract a lot of interest.'
Man of Many
a day ago
- Man of Many
Casio's First Mechanical Watch Could Be the Best Sub-$1,000 Tissot PRX Alternative
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 30 Jul 2025 |Last Updated: 29 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link 0 Readtime: 3 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Casio's first mechanical watch, EFK‑100, starts around AUD$550 Compact 39 mm stainless case, sapphire crystal, 100m water resistance Reliable NH35A automatic movement, 40‑hour reserve, hacking seconds Integrated steel bracelet echoes Tissot PRX, brushed sporty finish Choose from four dials: green, white, navy, forged carbon The Casio EFK-100 (from AUD$550) is the brand's first mechanical watch, which is kind of a big deal. Long-time innovators in the solar and quartz business, they've expanded their range and created an enthusiast piece that sits under the EDIFICE brand, and it includes all the hallmark features that we look for in a great watch. There are four dial options, a compact 39mm stainless steel case, sapphire crystal glass, and a trusty Malaysian-made NH35A movement (known as the 4R35 in Seiko terms). We can't ignore the integrated stainless steel bracelet that takes a page out of the Tissot PRX's playbook and adds a similar brushed stainless steel finish. The sharp angles from the raised indexes continue to the bezel, where Casio has presented a smooth texture. Overall, it's a smart timepiece that has an edge of refined sportiness that only a few watches can achieve at this price point. Let's take a closer look! EFK-100CD-1A | Image: Casio Casio EFK-100 Key Specifications Here are the key specifications for the Casio EFK-100: Movement : automatic (manual‑wind capable), 24 jewels, 21,600 vph, hacking seconds : automatic (manual‑wind capable), 24 jewels, 21,600 vph, hacking seconds Performance : 40‑hour power reserve, -35 / +45 seconds per day, magnetic‑resistant : 40‑hour power reserve, -35 / +45 seconds per day, magnetic‑resistant Case material : solid stainless steel, one‑touch 3‑fold clasp : solid stainless steel, one‑touch 3‑fold clasp Case diameter : 39 mm : 39 mm Case thickness : 12.5 mm : 12.5 mm Weight : 148 g : 148 g Functions : three‑hand time, date display, see‑through screw‑lock back : three‑hand time, date display, see‑through screw‑lock back Water resistance: 100 m (10 bar) The Casio EFK-100 uses a Malaysian-made NH35A movement that offers a commendable 40 hours power reserve, -35 / +45 seconds per day accuracy, and exhibition screw‑lock case back. We could sit here and question why they didn't go with a better Miyota 9015 movement, but we don't really care. It's exactly what you would expect to find in a watch at this price point, and our experience with Seiko watches powered by the Japan-made 4R35 proves that it's fine for a daily driver. EFK-100CD-1A | Image: Casio EFK-100D-2A | Image: Casio EFK-100D-3A | Image: Casio EFK-100D-7A | Image: Casio There are four dial options to choose from, including textured green, white, navy, and forged carbon. It's a tough choice, but it allows you to take this watch in any direction you please. If you want a fun weekender, the green dial is a smart option. If you want a smart dresswatch, the textured white dial oozes Grand Seiko. However, after polling the Man of Many office, our favourite is the forged carbon ref. EFK-100CD-1A, which has a high-end sports car feel to it. Whether you're a fan of this particular watch or not, something is exciting about the fact that we have another quality sub-$1,000 watch to choose from. Alternatives to the Casio EFK-100 include the aforementioned Tissot PRX and Seiko 5 Sports, but the Citizen NB-1050 is also another great option if you're looking for a reliable daily driver Japanese sports watch. Either way, the EFK-100 is available right now from AUD$550 at Casio stores, including First Class Watches, which we've linked below.
Man of Many
2 days ago
- Health
- Man of Many
Male Birth Control Pill Passes Safety Trial in US
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 29 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link 0 Readtime: 3 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. YCT‑529 male pill passes U.S. safety trial, no major side effects reported Non‑hormonal drug blocks vitamin‑A receptor, stopping sperm production initiation Study doses up to 180 mg showed unchanged hormones, mood, heart rate Requires three months of daily use to start or restore fertility Other male contraceptives coming: NES/T gel, ADAM reversible vas‑block implant Lads, the time has come. There's a male birth control pill on its way, and if we ask the ladies in the room, it's about damn time. It's been a great run for the rubber industry, and the vasectomy boys need a shoutout, too, but the ladies in our lives have been holding it down for too long with hormonal birth control pills and painful IUDs. It's our turn to carry some of the birth control burden, and with the new pill passing a safety trial in the US, it's just around the corner. Created by YourChoice Therapeutics, a single ascending dose study showed that up to 180mg of YCT-529 had no effects on heart rate, hormone (follicle-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, and testosterone), sex hormone-binding globulin or inflammatory biomarker levels, sexual desire or mood, which is a substantial requirement in contraceptive development. We don't know how effective the pill will be at reducing sperm yet, but when you consider nearly half of all pregnancies worldwide are unintended, that information couldn't come sooner. Image: Unsplash The first non-hormonal oral contraceptive for men, YCT-529, blocks a vitamin A metabolite from binding to its receptor in the testes, preventing the chain of gene-expression changes required to start the sperm-making process. Sounds complicated, but Stephanie Page, an endocrinologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine, who wasn't involved in the study and spoke to says, 'We really need more reversible contraceptive methods for men.' However, Page doesn't go quite so far as to say that the large claim of no side-effects on a small 16-person human trial should be taken so literally. 'I think it would be overstating the data to say they know much about side effects yet,' she told the website. 'Every medication on the market has side effects.' It takes three months for the body to produce mature sperm cells. That means the pills would take three months to become effective, and three months to resume normal sperm production. YCT-529 is not the only reversible male birth control method being developed. There's a gel called NES/T in the clinical trial pipeline in the US, which is applied daily to the shoulders and upper arms before being absorbed into the bloodstream through the skin. There's also a hydrogel implant called ADAM, which acts as a reversible vasectomy by blocking the vas deferens.
Man of Many
3 days ago
- Man of Many
Australia's Most Celebrated Architect Designed This Breathtaking Guesthouse 3 Hours from Sydney
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 28 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link 0 Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. Architect Glenn Murcutt designed secluded Strikes 3 Mudgee guesthouse Shutters, hatches, airflow, and fireplace maintain seasonal comfort naturally Ideal romantic weekend base for wine, beer, doughnuts, and countryside exploration Known for its food and wine, my most recent trip to Mudgee uncovered some of the best beers in the country. But I didn't spend all my time drinking sours and scoffing doughnuts out of the back of a vintage Land Rover at Old Wheels Grind. No, we needed somewhere to stay on our travels, and Mudgee Tourism kindly invited me to stay at Strikes Mudgee. I would've been happy with a room at the local bed and breakfast, but within 5 minutes of my stay, I could tell Strikes was not your average slice of boutique accommodation in country New South Wales. Located on one of the best wineries in all of Mudgee (10 minutes from town), Strikes consists of three eco-friendly, luxurious guesthouses. Strikes 1 and Strikes 2 are perfect for couples retreats, with views of the Lucerne flats, neighbouring vineyards, and the Eurunderee valley, while the third is a little bit special. Strikes 3 | Image: Supplied Designed by world-renowned Australian architect Glenn Murcutt AO, Strikes 3 is the most secluded of the three guesthouses and offers the same breathtaking views from a little further up the hill. Every panel of wood, welded piece of metal, and window is thoughtfully positioned to work with the landscape around it. Whether it's the in-set day beds, full kitchen, or Louis Poulsen pendant lights, this is one of the best couples retreats near Sydney. I arrived late at night, so I didn't get the chance to grasp the full breadth of Strikes owner Justin Penney and Murcutt's efforts here until the morning. However, when the sun rose in the morning and peeked through the large bedroom window overlooking the fields, Murcutt's Australian vernacular architecture and the influence found in rural wood-and-corrugated-iron farm sheds saw light. With more than 500 buildings under his belt, Strikes 3 is quintessential Murcutt. I don't like the word 'eco-friendly,' but that's always intrinsic to his designs. 'I cannot pursue my architecture without considering the minimisation of energy consumption,' said Murcutt in an interview with De De Ce. 'Simple and direct technologies, a respect for site, climate, place and culture. Together, these disciplines represent for me a fantastic platform for experimentation and expression. Of particular importance is the junction of the rational and the poetic, resulting hopefully in works that resonate and belong to where they reside.' Strikes 3 | Image: Supplied Strikes 3 | Image: Supplied Strikes 3 | Image: Supplied Strikes 3 | Image: Supplied 'You should be able to operate a building in a way like you operate a yacht. To open and shut windows to close this down, open something else up. Put a door in another direction to get the positive negative pressure systems working in the building. This is how you sail a yacht – to understand how you make things move naturally. You can do this with buildings in the very same way.' 'Making buildings that are like instruments is very important to me. The buildings respond to the light, to air movements, to prospect, to refuge, to comfort. They work like instruments that produce the sound and the colour of the composer. But, I am not the composer. I just make the instruments. The light, the sound and the air are already there. I just make buildings that allow people to sense them.' This was my exact experience at the guesthouse. External shutters keep the heat in during the winter, while hatches built into the ledges open straight into the elements, releasing heat in the summer. Doors are large, heavy, and can be left open to move air from one end of the house to the other. Meanwhile, the lounge area and kitchen are separated by a large wood fireplace, which is the perfect place to spend a lazy Saturday afternoon with local cheese and wine. My time at Strikes 3 was short, but sweet. It's on my shortlist of best couples retreats in New South Wales, and if you're a Murcutt fan, it should already be on your shortlist. Thanks again to Mudgee Tourism for providing two nights of accommodation to make this trip happen, and if you can learn more about Strikes Mudgee at the website, linked below. Strikes 3 | Image: Supplied
Man of Many
3 days ago
- Business
- Man of Many
I Bought the Internet's Favourite $250 Timex, Here are My Honest Thoughts
By Ben McKimm - News Published: 28 Jul 2025 Share Copy Link 0 Readtime: 4 min Every product is carefully selected by our editors and experts. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. Learn more. For more information on how we test products, click here. High point Low point Verdict Sub‑AUD $500 price, retro 34 mm 'TV‑Dial' case, and Perfect Fit expansion bracelet resizes at home. Miyota 8215 accuracy is middling (‑20 / +40 sec per day) and lacks hacking seconds. Charming, no‑fuss gateway into mechanical watches. If you've got an average‑size wrist, love vintage styling and don't obsess over chronometer‑grade accuracy, the Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue is well worth its AUD $449.95 price. Scroll horizontally to view full table The worst hobbies in life are cars, watches, and whisky. Unfortunately, I'm addicted to all three of them. Luckily, I'm here to share all of my good and bad experiences with you readers, so you don't have to make the same mistakes I do. That said, look away if you don't want to buy another watch because I think you might be swayed by this sub-AUD$500 Timex that I have been wearing for the last six months. The Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue (AUD$449.95) came into my life as it always does. There I am scrolling Instagram on a weeknight, my explore page full of watches, and I click on one of them. Suddenly, I'm keying in my credit card details, and next thing you know, I've bought another watch. It's cheap, though, so how bad could it be?! Well, having worn it for more than six months, I finally have an answer. Let's find out whether the Timex Automatic 1983 E Line was worth it or not. In case I need to be any clearer, I wasn't sent this watch. I bought it! Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue | Image: Supplied / Timex Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue Key Specifications Here are the key specs for the Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue: Model / SKU : TW2W70800 : TW2W70800 Movement : Miyota 8215 Japanese 21‑jewel mechanical automatic (self‑winding) : Miyota 8215 Japanese 21‑jewel mechanical automatic (self‑winding) Case diameter : 34 mm : 34 mm Case thickness : 12 mm : 12 mm Crystal : Vintage‑style acrylic : Vintage‑style acrylic Water‑resistance : 50 m (suitable for light swimming) : 50 m (suitable for light swimming) Dial : Silver‑tone with full hour markers and date window at 3 o'clock : Silver‑tone with full hour markers and date window at 3 o'clock Strap : 20 mm brushed and polished Perfect Fit stainless‑steel expansion band (no clasp/buckle) : 20 mm brushed and polished Perfect Fit stainless‑steel expansion band (no clasp/buckle) Wrist fit: 150 – 205 mm / 5.9 – 8.1 in circumference Whether this is your first watch or your fiftieth, there are a few features that jumped off the spec sheet. I'm going to boil them down to make them as simple as possible so everyone can understand why they're exciting, not just the watch enthusiasts in the room. I love the 'TV Dial' case, which is elegant and wearable, but also perfectly sized for an average male wrist. It's a little smaller than average at 34 mm in diameter, and I wouldn't recommend it for larger wrists, but the 12 mm case thickness is also another plus, as it sits just underneath the cuff of your shirt without feeling flimsy. Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue | Image: Supplied / Timex The 20 mm brushed and polished stainless‑steel Perfect Fit expansion band bracelet also needs a mention. You can size this watch at home, without tools, and because there's no clasp, it sits perfectly on your wrist. I was initially worried about the strength of the springs inside the bracelet, but they've conformed to my wrist over time, and I never found them to cut off circulation. The links tend to pinch your skin as they expand and contract, but this goes away after the first few wears. Then, there's the movement. The Timex Automatic 1983 E Line is powered by a Miyota 8215 Japanese 21‑jewel mechanical automatic self-winding movement. It's not a particularly accurate movement (-20～＋40 sec/day), but it pleases my inner watch nerd because the seconds hand slowly moves around the dial instead of clicking in one-second increments like a quartz watch would. I know I shouldn't care, but I do. Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue | Image: Supplied / Timex The Seiko 4R36 movement in my Seiko 5 Sports SNXS (SRPK87) is much nicer, and the watch isn't that much more expensive, but I like the design of the Timex, and the Miyota does enough to get my stamp of approval. What would I change? Well, the acrylic crystal isn't my favourite, but it's something you expect to find in a watch at this price point. I've already managed to give it a little dust up, but that's okay because it's better to damage a sub-$500 watch than a $5,000 watch at the end of the day. If you're looking to pick up a Timex Automatic 1983 E Line, it's available via the Timex website below for USD$249.99 (AUD$449.95). Alternatively, do as I did and check out many of the brands' trusted retailers as you might be able to score a deal. Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue | Image: Supplied / Timex Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue | Image: Supplied / Timex Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue | Image: Supplied / Timex Timex Automatic 1983 E Line Reissue | Image: Supplied / Timex
