Reviews - Page 13

Mophie is known for its smartphone battery cases, which provide you with a way to keep an iPhone battery topped off while not having to worry about carrying around a large portable USB battery. Continuing this trend, Mophie recently launched Juice Pack Access cases for the the latest iPhones: iPhone 11, iPhone 11 Pro, and iPhone 11 Pro Max. I've had a chance to check out the Juice Pack...

Signify, the company behind the Philips Hue lights, in September announced a new Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box, which brings a capability that many Hue users have wanted for years now: the ability to sync Hue lights with content that's playing on the TV for an immersive home entertainment experience. There's already a Hue Sync app that lets Hue lights be tuned to Macs and PCs, but it's...

Pad & Quill is a company known for its leather accessories, crafted mainly with Apple devices in mind. The company offers iPhone cases, iPad sleeves, Apple Watch bands, and even paper journals and full leather bags and briefcases. For the past week, I've had a chance to check out Pad & Quill's Gladstone Leather Briefcase, which is priced at $495.00 on the company's website (although you can...

Mophie earlier this year came out with several multi-device charging solutions after Apple failed to deliver the AirPower. The $80 Dual Wireless Charging Pad can charge two devices at one time, while the 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad ($140) is designed to charge an iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once. Design wise, these chargers are fairly simple, made from a black plastic covered with ...

LIFX earlier this year teased the Candle Color, a candelabra bulb that uses Polychrome Technology, which is a fancy way of saying it can display more than one color at once. Now the Candle Color is available for purchase. LIFX has used Polychrome Technology in the Tile, Beam, and Z Strip light strip, but this is the first time the color blending feature has been available in a light bulb. ...

Eve, known for its line of HomeKit-enabled smart home products, recently came out with an accessory called the Eve Extend, which is a Bluetooth range extender that's designed to work with existing Eve products. Many of Eve's HomeKit devices work over Bluetooth, and while that often works fine, in larger homes, Bluetooth connectivity can be problematic because it can be limited in range....

Signify, the company behind the Philips Hue line of lights, recently introduced new filament bulbs, which are designed to look like vintage filament-style light bulbs. These bulbs, which come in three sizes, are the first bulbs in the Philips Hue lineup that are meant to be used with or without a lamp shade, making them perfect for decorative-style lamps that are meant to have naked bulbs. ...

Earlier this summer, Mophie announced and launched a new line of Juice Pack Air cases for the iPhone XS and XS Max, which promise to add extra hours of battery life to your ‌iPhone‌ while providing drop protection. The cases offer many of the same features as Apple's 2019 Smart Battery Case line, but there are a few key differences that I found in terms of their physical design and day-to-day...

Satechi this summer launched its first HomeKit-compatible product, the Dual Smart Outlet, a HomeKit plug that turns dumb appliances and electronics into smart electronics that can work alongside other ‌HomeKit‌ products. There are quite a few HomeKit-enabled smart plugs on the market, but Satechi's version is relatively compact and offers some bells and whistles that not all ‌HomeKit‌ plugs...

Twelve South recently launched the StayGo, a portable USB-C hub that's designed to add additional ports to USB-C MacBooks and MacBook Pros. There are a lot of hubs out there on the market, but Twelve South is known for its high-quality Apple accessories, so I thought I'd take a closer look at the StayGo. Design wise, the StayGo offers a simple but attractive design that's slim, portable, and...

The Wonderboom is one of Ultimate Ears' most popular speakers due to its small size that doesn't compromise on sound, and earlier this month, Ultimate Ears launched the Wonderboom 2, an updated version of the Wonderboom with some new functionality. Design wise, the Wonderboom 2 features the same general size and shape as the original Wonderboom, though it's a bit taller. Ultimate Ears says...

Apple wanted to make a wireless charger, the AirPower, that could charge the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once no matter where the devices were placed on the charger, but ultimately, the idea didn't work out and the ‌AirPower‌ was shelved. That's led multiple companies to come out with AirPower-style charging accessories that are able to provide power to multiple devices at once, and...

Twelve South today announced its latest HiRise accessory, called the "HiRise Wireless," and it's available to purchase now on Twelve South's website. The new accessory is a multi-purpose wireless charging stand with two distinct positions: you can charge your iPhone upright in a traditional stand position, or pop out the Qi-certified Power Disc for a miniature device that's perfectly sized to...

Subaru is experiencing growing popularity in the U.S., developing a strong reputation based on emphasizing safety, all-wheel drive operation, and technology. The redesigned 2019 Subaru Forester is no exception, offering standard all-wheel drive, a roomier cabin, and new DriverFocus technology that uses facial recognition and monitoring to not only save your driver presets but alert you if it...

Throwboy makes a variety of Apple-themed pillows, including the Iconic Pillow Collection, which started out as a Kickstarter but is now available from the Throwboy website. There are five pillows in the Iconic Pillow Collection, which have been designed to look like some of the most important products Apple has released over the years, including the Apple II, the original Macintosh, the iMac...

Brydge, known for its line of keyboards for the iPad, recently debuted its newest keyboard, an updated model designed for Apple's 2018 11 and 12.9-inch iPad Pro models. The new Brydge Pro has been highly anticipated by ‌iPad‌ owners who have used Brydge keyboards in the past and prefer the bulk-free Brydge keyboard style. I've teamed up with MacRumors videographer Dan Barbera to review the...

A couple of months ago, Boss Audio debuted its latest aftermarket CarPlay receiver, the BVCP9685A, offering a relatively low-cost way to add wired ‌CarPlay‌ (and Android Auto) to your existing vehicle. The BVCP9685A is a double DIN unit with a 6.75-inch capacitive screen and a vertical strip of capacitive touch controls along the left side. With an external microphone and support for steering...

Eve, a company that makes HomeKit-enabled smart home products, launched its latest accessory, the Eve Energy Strip, in April. The Eve Energy Strip offers three HomeKit-connected outlets, each of which can be controlled independently through the Eve app, the Home app, and through Siri, so you can make standard home products and appliances smart. Design Design wise, the Eve Energy Strip...

Anker in late April announced the launch of its latest power adapter for charging Apple devices, the PowerPort Atom PD 2. Anker's newest PowerPort offers two USB-C charging ports and up to 60W of power in an enclosure that's smaller than standard stock laptop chargers. The PowerPort Atom PD 2 uses Gallium nitride or GaN, a new material that allows semiconductor components to be shrunk down,...

Cozy, a company that has a variety of clever solutions for managing Apple accessories, recently released its latest product, a whimsical "Drink Different" ice cube tray that makes ice shaped like a vintage Mac. Cozy sent me some of the Mac molds to test out, and I can confirm that they work well and result in Mac-shaped ice cubes that Apple enthusiasts are sure to like. The $12.99 Drink...