Apple MFI

Read Cult of Mac’s latest posts on Apple MFI:

Charge Apple devices on the fly with Momax AirBox Go (and get about half off!)

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It weighs less than most iPads and fits in almost any bag.
The new AirBox Go weighs less than most iPads, fits in almost any bag and charges three Apple devices at once.
Photo: Momax

Ever find your Apple devices running on empty while you’re on the go? That’s when you need a power bank or battery pack small enough to fit easily in your bag, so you can charge up devices without a power outlet.

The Momax AirBox Go is a 3-in-1 charging station that will keep your gadgets going wherever you are. This unique Apple accessory is on sale, cutting the price drastically.

Third-party Apple Watch chargers will work faster soon

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This MagSafe charger from Belkin might be the coolest iPhone 12 accessory.
This Belkin stand supports Apple Watch fast charging, but not all do.
Photo: Belkin

Makers of third-party Apple Watch chargers will reportedly no longer be able to build the old, slow Apple Watch charging puck into their products. The only one available will operate 33% faster than the original Apple Watch charger.

This means that, going forward, all new Apple Watch accessories will support Fast Charge.

Make your iPhone more fun with GameSir X2 side-by-side game controller with Lightning

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Make your iPhone more fun with GameSir X2 side-by-side game controller with Lightning
The GameSir X2 Lightning wraps a game controller around your iPhone.
Photo: GameSir

On-screen game controls can be hard to use, but the GameSir X2 Lightning Mobile Gaming Controller adds physical buttons and joysticks to your iPhone. This newly-launched version includes a Lightning connector, making Bluetooth unnecessary.

In a related development, the GameSir F7 Claw Tablet Game Controller for larger devices is now available on Amazon.

MFI flash will add gloss to your iPhone photos

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Anker MFi flash
First MFi flash out of the gate.
Photo: Anker

The biggest photography stories of the decade all involved the iPhone in some way. The approaching decade’s first story will likely be the rise of add-on strobe lights for iPhone photographers.

Less than two weeks after news broke that Apple told accessories companies that it would add flash support for the iPhone 11 lineup, Anker is claiming to have the first MFi flash unit that plugs right into the Lightning port.

Strobe support coming to iPhone 11, add-on makers confirm

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With light in hand, the Profoto C1 flash brings studio power to your iPhone photos.
The C1 Light by Profoto is among the Bluetooth-enabled options to add strobes to iPhone photos.
Screenshot: Profoto/YouTube

The iPhone’s Portrait mode lets users add effects that emulate studio lighting. Soon, the iPhone could allow for the real thing.

Apple has added support for strobes as a preview for developers in its Made-for-iPhone licensing program.

Treat yourself to a Lightning cable that lasts [Deals]

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This Lightning cable is built tough, with 5 feet of length for extra flexibility and reach.
This Lightning cable is built tough, with 5 feet of length for extra flexibility and reach.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Our mobile devices depend on a single cable for power and data. So it’s a drag that they’re so prone to break and fray. Instead of constantly replacing the standard Lightning cables from Cupertino, here’s your chance to snag one that’s built to stand the test of time.

Cheaper Lightning-to-USB-C cables launching sooner than expected

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Lightning cables that plug into USB-C ports charge your iPhone more quickly.
Lightning cables that plug into USB-C ports charge your iPhone more quickly.
Photo: Apple

You could be able to get your hands on less expensive, but still MFi certified, Lightning-to-USB-C cables more quickly than first thought. Apple is allowing third-party manufacturers to produce these, and shipments could start in just a few months.

These cables allow iPhones and older iPads to charge far more quickly than Lightning-to-USB-A ones.

AI-powered iPhone photo storage device never forgets a face

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No Wi-Fi, no cloud with this iPhone photo and video storage solution.
No Wi-Fi, no cloud with this iPhone photo and video storage solution.
Photo: Fotofami

You’ve heard my speech from the soapbox: Backup your iPhone photos. A little device called Fotofami couldn’t make it easier.

In fact, it’s shaped like a little thin box that will travel well in a pocket. It works by getting to know the faces of family and friends in those pictures while fiercely defending them from the reach of hackers.

The Iron Man of Lightning cables doesn’t fray [Deals]

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CoM - Toughlink MFi-Certified Metal Braided Lightning Cable
These metal-wrapped Lightning cables are built to withstand almost anything you can throw at them.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Lightning cables are the lifelines for our most used mobile devices. Without them, we can’t charge or sync the data on our iPhones, iPads or iPods. And if you buy a wonky third party alternative, you’re often going to get a lot of buzzing and failed connections thrown into the mix. These ultra tough, MFi-Certified Lightning cables address all of the above. Worthy of any Apple device, they’re built to Tony Stark standards of toughness so that they’ll outlast the devices you connect them to. And right now, you can get a two pack of Toughlink MFi-Certified Metal Braided Lightning Cables for just $29.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.

Even your cat can’t destroy this chew-proof Lightning cable [Reviews]

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Paracable, hard to chew but quick to charge.
Paracable, hard to chew but quick to charge.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

The charging cable Apple includes with each iOS device may not seem all that interesting, but to a kitten with razor-sharp teeth named Baxter, the rubber-coated cord was an exciting chew toy. Baxter gnawed through four iPhone 5 lightning cables and left Travis Beck no choice.

Beck formed Paracable, a company in Houston, that makes cat-proof charge and sync cords for iOS devices.