Reviews - Page 17

Rain Design, a maker of accessories for Apple products, released three laptop stands made of anodized aluminum to match Apple's MacBook and MacBook Pro models earlier this year: the mBar, mBar Pro, and mBar Pro+. The mBar is a minimalist MacBook stand with fixed arms that's not meant to be portable, and the mBar Pro and Pro+ have folding arms for easy portability. A laptop stand can be a...

Back in March, Mazda became one of the last major car manufacturers to announce launch plans for CarPlay support. Mazda's first announced vehicle with CarPlay is the 2018 Mazda6, with owners of Touring trim and above able to bring their vehicles to a Mazda dealer for a free upgrade starting this month. CarPlay will be available pre-installed in Mazda6 vehicles with Touring trim and above as of...

Twelve South has long offered a PlugBug accessory designed to provide interchangeable plugs for travel purposes, but earlier this month, an updated version debuted that adds an extra USB port. The new Twelve South PlugBug Duo is an ideal travel accessory because it adds international plugs to your MacBook adapter and it lets you charge accessories like an iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch while...

Last month, CalDigit debuted a pair of Thunderbolt 3 mini Docks, offering the ability to connect dual 4K 60Hz displays, Ethernet, and USB all from one travel-sized accessory that doesn't require its own external power source. Available in dual DisplayPort and dual HDMI versions, CalDigit's Thunderbolt 3 mini Docks are a convenient way to make sure you can easily connect to multiple...

Popular speaker company Ultimate Ears today announced the launch of the two newest speakers in its product lineup, the BOOM 3 and the MEGABOOM 3. Like all Ultimate Ears speakers, the BOOM 3 and MEGABOOM 3 are portable, waterproof speakers that can be used in a variety of conditions and are perfect for the pool or the beach. Compared to previous-generation speakers, the BOOM 3 and MEGABOOM 3...

Avido's new WiBa Wireless and Stackable Power Bank and Charging Pad combines wireless charging with a wireless power bank, allowing for a completely wire-free iPhone charging experience both at home and on the go. The WiBa kit comes with three pieces: a wireless charging pad, a 5,000 mAh battery pack, and a cable plus power adapter to power the wireless charging portion of the device. The...

Twelve South last month introduced its newest product, the AirSnap case designed to work with Apple's AirPods. Priced at $29.99, the AirSnap is made from a supple, full-grain leather that molds around the AirPods for a perfect fit. The fit is tight enough that I had to put a little effort in to stretch it to snap the case shut, but like all leather, it will loosen over time. Expect it to...

Logitech often works with Apple to introduce new accessories for Apple devices, and in early August, Logitech announced its latest product designed in collaboration with Apple, the new POWERED wireless charging stand for iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus, and iPhone X. POWERED is an upright charging stand able to charge a compatible iPhone in either horizontal or landscape orientation. Made from a...

Seagate's LaCie brand is well-known for its line of rugged, durable hard drives that are protected by an iconic orange bumper, and this spring, LaCie unveiled its latest accessory in the rugged lineup, the 4TB USB-C LaCie Rugged RAID Pro. Design If you've seen a hard drive in LaCie's rugged collection before, the Rugged RAID Pro will look immediately familiar. It features an...

Elevation Lab, known for its popular line of wired dock options for the iPhone, recently came out with its first wireless charging dock, the NightPad. The NightPad, which is a 7.5W charger, looks like a lot of other wireless chargers on the market, but there are some premium features to be aware of. It's covered in a soft silicone material that holds the iPhone in place while it's charging,...

Koogeek is one of the more interesting HomeKit accessory manufacturers, with an array of relatively low-cost and in some cases unusual products that can help users expand their Apple-focused smart home ecosystems. The company offers HomeKit-compatible smart outlets, switches, bulbs, and sockets similar to other manufacturers, but also has some less common products like light strips,...

There are hundreds of Qi wireless charging options available on the market, many of which feature the same no-frills plain black circle or square design. You can, for example, find dozens of inexpensive wireless chargers on Amazon at prices as low as $10, but if you're looking for a more thoughtful, unique design you may need to spend a bit more. I've been taking a look at some of the wireless ...

Belkin was one of the first companies to come out with a faster 7.5W wireless charger for the iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus after wireless charging launched, and the company has now had time to create a second round of wireless chargers with a more refined design. Released this spring, the $60 Belkin Boost Up Bold Wireless Charging Pad and the $70 Belkin Boost Up Wireless Charging Stand...

Tap is a hand-worn, futuristic replacement for a keyboard, mouse, and game controller that connects to iPhones and iPads, Macs, and PCs, and other devices using Bluetooth. Tap fits over your fingers and can be used on any surface, meaning you can do away with a traditional desk, but mastering its use takes some intensive practice that may turn some people away. Design Tap is meant to be...

Last month, Ring began taking pre-orders for its Ring Alarm home security system, and today it begins shipping. I've had a chance to spend some time with Ring Alarm, and I've found it's an easy-to-use security system that's useful with or without professional monitoring. Priced at $199 for the base kit, the Ring Alarm comes with a base station, a separate keypad, one motion detector, one...

Available on Indiegogo, the wire-free Arbor Instant Video Doorbell from Arbor Home lets you keep an eye on your packages from shipment to delivery, and it lets you see just who's at your door when the bell rings. Prior to the Arbor, I hadn't used a video doorbell, and I wasn't sure if I needed one, but ironically, waiting for the delivery of the video doorbell itself taught me how valuable...

Three years ago, Lutron was one of the first vendors to venture into the HomeKit ecosystem with its Caséta Wireless lighting controls, which include plug-in lamp dimmers, wall-mounted dimmer switches, and remotes, all coordinated through a wireless "Smart Bridge" that plugs into your internet router. The Caséta system has been such a mainstay in the HomeKit world that Apple is still selling...

Nanoleaf's new 12-sided light-up remote joins its existing Nanoleaf Light Panels and Nanoleaf Rhythm, adding a whole slew of smartphone-free physical control options for your HomeKit setup in one easy-to-use accessory. The Nanoleaf Remote is bigger than button and remote devices from other companies, but it offers access to many more scenes and as you'll see in my review, it's a great value if ...

With Apple's decision to embrace USB-C on all of its modern Macs, the company has created a need for USB-C docks so that we can continue to use all of our non-USB C peripherals as we wait for the rest of the tech industry to catch up. Kingston's Nucleum USB Type-C Hub is designed to meet that need, offering a selection of useful ports for MacBook, MacBook Pro, and iMac owners who still need to ...

Popular storage and dock company CalDigit recently launched a Thunderbolt 3 version of its T4 RAID storage hub, offering demanding Mac users a four-bay setup with capacities up to 32 TB of traditional hard drive or 8 TB of SSD storage. Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Macs including the MacBook Pro, iMac, and iMac Pro, the T4 connects over a single cable and not only offers a storage array but...