Reviews - Page 21

We've already looked at LG's UltraFine 5K and 27UD88 displays as companions for Apple's latest notebooks, and today we're taking a look at another USB-C display option that brings something quite different: LG's 38UC99 curved "UltraWide" display. This is a desk-filling display in the truest sense of the term: 37.5 inches on the diagonal with a 21:9 aspect ratio and a native resolution of...

Headphone jack controversies aside, Apple's cord-free AirPods have contributed to a recent surge of interest in "truly wireless" earphones, with several companies vying for a piece of the market. Denmark-based audio outfit Jabra has embraced the freedom-of-movement appeal of wireless buds more than most with its Elite Sport headphones ($250), which it calls "the most technically advanced true ...

Bragi announced its Dash earphones at CES way back in 2015, when wireless Bluetooth headsets were still relatively niche. Since then we've seen Apple, Samsung, and a host of other companies launch their own "truly wireless" headphones, prompting Bragi to give the market another pop with "The Headphone" ($149), a less expensive, more awkwardly named variant of its original cord-free buds....

Olloclip has been making lenses for the iPhone since 2011, expanding the range of tools at an iPhone photographer's fingertips. For the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, Olloclip has redesigned its product lineup, offering the same lenses in a new package that better fits the latest iPhones and provides more utility, like a stand. I've been using Olloclip to spice up my iPhone photographs since...

Nanoleaf started out in 2013 as small company offering a Kickstarter project for an energy efficient light bulb, which led to the launch of the HomeKit-enabled Nanoleaf Smarter Kit, a set of three standard-style bulbs connected by a hub. Nanoleaf's first HomeKit accessory worked well but was rather ordinary, something that can't be said about its newest product, the Aurora Smarter Kit....

A few weeks ago, we took a look at LG's new 27-inch UltraFine 5K display designed in partnership with Apple to pair with the new MacBook Pro. While it's a high-quality screen that offers a sharp, spacious, Retina desktop, the overall design has generated mixed reactions, particularly in comparison to Apple's design standards. At a standard price of $1299 and even Apple's discounted price of...

Nomad has been a well-known third-party Apple accessory manufacturer for a few years, creating leather cases for iPhones and iPads, Apple Watch bands, and battery packs that integrate directly into charging cables. The company's newest product is the $99.95 Nomad Advanced Trackable PowerPack, a 9,000 mAh mobile battery that is built with Nomad's usual "ultra-rugged construction," with an added...

ZENS recently debuted its latest product, an iPhone/Apple Watch Power Bank that has a built-in Apple Watch charging puck and a USB port, allowing you to charge all of your devices at once. Priced at €69.99 (or $78.00) the 4,000 mAh ZENS Power Bank is about the size and shape of a chocolate bar, though perhaps a bit wider. Because it's neither short nor particularly flat, it doesn't fit well...

Digital image and video stabilization features have been included in modern smartphones for a while now, with each new generation offering improved correction for jumps and jitters that typically occur during handheld shooting. Still, even the latest handsets can't quite match the benefits that can be gained from using a motorized mount specifically designed to reduce vibration and unwanted...

The heated debate over whether an iPad can replace a Mac as a day-to-day workhorse shows no sign of abating. One way of evading the crossfire is to plump for both, but to do that you need a bag that can conveniently accommodate the two devices for when you're on the move. Pad & Quill's Small Briefcase ($219) is one of the Minneapolis company's latest compact leather and canvas solutions for...

The wireless headphone market has been shaken up so much recently that it's hard to know where to begin when a new entry appears on the stage and announces itself as the next big thing. Fortunately this latest Bluetooth offering from Sony is targeting a very specific market segment best referred to as "premium noise cancelation", and the company seems pretty confident that with the MDR-1000X...

Last month we looked at Bose's wireless QuietComfort 35 noise-canceling headphones ($350) and came away with the feeling that – at least for those willing or able to test premium waters – Bluetooth-based audio fulfillment was finally a possibility. So it would be remiss not to turn next to rival premium headphone maker and well-regarded German audio company Sennheiser to see what it has to ...

Although Apple remains conservative regarding the battery life of the Apple Watch, many users have noted that the wearable device makes it through one day with plenty of charge left over in its 18-hour estimated life. Still, third-party power banks and portable chargers have been popular mainstays in the Apple Watch accessory line, and recently Kanex launched its own charging device for the Apple ...

With the controversial absence of a headphone jack on the iPhone 7 now a reality, accessory companies are busily churning out wireless alternatives, and that's as true of Bose as it is of other big audio brands. Its latest QuietComfort 35 over-the-ear headphones ($350) are a wireless version of the company's flagship premium QC25 cans ($300), seen by some as offering the best active...

Cables and adapters outfitted with USB-C have been becoming increasingly popular as smartphones and computers alike have adopted the standard, including Apple with its 12-inch Retina MacBook that launched in the spring of 2015. Accessories such as USB drives that make file transfers easier and larger docks have proven for users dealing with Apple's decision to include just two ports on the...

Philips recently announced its first Bluetooth-connected Sonicare toothbrush aimed at adults, which interfaces with an iPhone to monitor brushing habits, offer brushing tips, and make sure you're brushing right. Priced at $199, the Sonicare FlexCare Platinum Connected takes the well-known and popular FlexCare brush and introduces iPhone connectivity through a Sonicare app that tracks...

The SnapPower Charger, designed to make it easy to add USB ports to a wall outlet with no complicated wiring, originated on Kickstarter in 2015. It's basically an outlet replacement that features two standard sockets and an additional USB port, and it's meant to be simple enough to install in just a couple of minutes. SnapPower is available in three colors (white, light almond, and ivory) to ...

Sonos is a well-regarded brand known for creating some of the best multi-room home speaker setups, and in late 2015, the company debuted its latest product, a second-generation Play:5. The original Play:5 (once called the S5) came out in 2009, so the new Play:5 marks a long overdue update that brings a new design and better sound. As someone new to the Sonos ecosystem, the Play:5 (paired with...

With the controversial removal of the headphone jack from Apple's upcoming iPhone range a seeming inevitability, audio companies are already ramping up Bluetooth headset options ahead of the devices' launch in the fall. In June, premium audio heavyweight brand Bose debuted a wireless version of its flagship over-the-ear headphones with the QuietComfort 35's. Not to be outdone, last month...

For the past year, I've exclusively used Bluetooth earbuds while out and about. For me, the convenience of not being tethered to my phone outweighs any downside in sound quality, but all the pairs I've owned before haven't been truly wireless; they're always connected with some sort of cable. These are the VerveOnes from Motorola, and they're the first pair of truly wireless earbuds I've...