Mobile menu toggle

Apple accessories - page 4

Here’s a labeling system for all those white Apple cords. You’re welcome. [Review]

By

Make no mistake. This cord has been tagged with a Buoy Tag.
Make no mistake. This cord has been tagged.
Photo: David Pierini/Cult of Mac

Buoy Tags, in a nutshell, are labels for cables. Apparently, some of us could use them.

I didn’t know this until my little box of Buoy Tags arrived. But once I saw the little clip-on tags, I could see how they might solve a common problem in households with multiple devices, or in communal offices where everyone plugs into power strips.

Is the 2018 iPad Pro Smart Folio Cover really worth $99? [Review]

By

The Smart Folio Cover also eliminates the camera bump.
The Smart Folio Cover also eliminates the camera bump.
Photo: Charlie Sorrel/Cult of Mac

If you buy a new iPad on launch day, and you want a cover or case, you’ll probably have to buy one from Apple. The first-party covers are great, but the prices are absurd. After using a Smart Cover on my old 1st-gen 12.9-inch iPad Pro for a few years, I swore to myself that I’d wait it out this time, until good third-party cases went on sale, instead of wasting cash on a Smart Folio Cover.

But, after just a couple of hours with the new iPad Pro, I realized there was no way to carry it in my bag without a case. So I put it back in its box, walked to the Apple Store, and gave Apple another 120 euros (or $136 at current exchange rates). Was it worth it?

Apple’s new iPad Pro keyboard case is slim but pricey [Review]

By

The Smart Keyboard Folio turns the iPad into a laptop, but there are better options.
The Smart Keyboard Folio turns the 2018 iPad Pro into a notebook.
Photo: Andrea Nepori

Anyone planning to use a 2018 iPad Pro for business probably needs an add-on keyboard. Apple’s own offering in this category is the Smart Keyboard Folio, which wraps tightly around this new tablet, both protecting it and providing the text input method so many of us depend on.

Because it’s made by Apple, nearly everyone who buys an iPad Pro considers getting this accessory, but the price will give you reason to pause.

We put one through extensive testing to help you decide if it’s right for you.

New Apple case shows iPhone XR’s true colors

By

Clear case 2
Coming soon to an iPhone XR near you.
Photo: 9to5Mac

Apple didn’t make a big thing about iPhone XR accessories that will be available when the less-expensive device launches later this month. However, an eagle-eyed iPhone XR fan (try saying that several times fast) spotted a new clear iPhone XR case mentioned in one of Apple’s regional press releases.

In Canada, and potentially other locations, a line tucked away in the iPhone XR press release notes that Apple will release a clear case for its LCD handset. We presume it will be available in the U.S. as well.

Save $75 on Apple Watch, $700 on Macs [Deals & Steals]

By

Refurbished Apple Watch LTE units are available.
Pick up your new Apple Watch for $75 less.
Photo: Apple

Best Buy is celebrating Labor Day weekend with some stellar discounts on Apple’s latest devices. You can save $50 on HomePod, $75 on Apple Watch Series 3, and up to $700 on Macs. Today’s Deals & Steals roundup also includes offers on other Apple devices.

Plus, you can protect your home with an impressive smart security camera for under $75, and pick up a pair of smart bulbs that won’t break the bank.

Apple drops 24 percent off cost of a cable you really need

By

A USB-C Lightning cable price drop.
A USB-C Lightning cable has several uses, including faster charges for recent iPhone and iPad models.
Photo: Apple

The price of a USB-C Lightning cable dropped 24 percent. That’s good news to almost every iPhone and iPad user.

This cable really should be bundled with Apple’s phone and tablet. It offers faster charging, and is required for connectivity with the latest macOS devices.

Stylish dock lets you charge Apple devices two at a time

By

Smart Dual Charging Station
The Smart Dual Charging Station will be available this spring.
Photo: Satechi

CES 2018 bug Tech accessories brand Satechi is using CES this week to show off a new dual charging station that will create the appearance you’re trying to show off your iPhone and Apple Watch.

The Smart Dual Charging Station props up your iPhone and Apple Watch on a stylish stand of silver or space gray brushed aluminum that neatly organizes your charging cords. The station is customizable and can also work with other Apple accessories, such as the Apple Pencil and Siri Remote.

Week’s best Apple deals: Save tons by buying third-party!

By

Looking for Apple deals? Sometimes it doesn't pay to go straight to the source.
Looking for Apple deals? Sometimes it doesn't pay to go straight to the source.
Photos: Apple, Belkin, Dynex

It’s no secret that Apple is expensive, which is why sometimes it’s a great idea to buy Apple items and Apple-compatible accessories elsewhere. See such deals on Apple Watch bands, cables and hardware in this week’s roundup of the best Apple deals.

Make your Mighty Mouse much more ergonomic [Week’s Newest Deals]

By

collage-2017-03-28 (2)
Upgrade your Magic Mouse's ergonomics, access a massive icon library, and more.
Photo: Cult of Mac Deals

Just in time for the beginning of a new month, a bunch of great new deals just came into the Cult of Mac Store. This week, we’ve got a massively discounted icon library for designers, a combination USB charger and car locator, a cable-free service that lets you keep your favorite cable channels, and a set of foam cushions for your Mighty Mouse to make it a lot more ergonomic.

Case maker talks secret iPhone CAD files, Chinese intrigue [Podcast interview]

By

Veteran case maker Tim Hickman talks about iPhone 7 leaks out of China.
Veteran case maker Tim Hickman talks about iPhone 7 leaks out of China.
Photo illustration: Ste Smith/Cult of Mac

The market for iPhone cases is worth billions of dollars. The first manufacturer with a case that fits a new device — say, the iPhone 7 — can make a killing in the days following an Apple launch.

For this week’s episode of Kahney’s Korner, I talked with industry veteran Tim Hickman, CEO of Gumdrop Cases. Over the years, he’s tried all kinds of tricks and strategies in the race to be first to market with new iPhone cases — including making thousands of cases that turned out to be wrong.

This time around, Hickman has received several CAD files from mysterious sources in China that supposedly show the exact dimensions of the upcoming iPhone 7. Will he bet his company’s fortunes on these files of dubious origin? Let’s find out.

Week’s best Apple deals: Apple Watch for $49, MacBook Pro for $999

By

Apple Watch deal
It's the best deal yet on Apple Watch (but there's a catch).
Photos: Best Buy, LMP, ABBYY, Apple

It’s the cheapest Apple Watch we’ve ever seen by far … you just have to buy an iPhone to get the astonishing $49 price tag. That screaming deal, a great student discount on a MacBook Pro, and more are in this week’s roundup of the best Apple bargains.

Week’s best Apple deals: Cheap Lightning cables, free apps and $100 off iPad mini 4

By

deals ipad mini 4, lightning cables, star wars kotor
This week brings hot deals on the iPad mini 4 and more.
Photo: Photos: Apple, Aspyr Media, Lumsing

Get some third-party charging cables for cheap, or some in-demand apps for big discounts (or free). We’ll give you the lowdown on those unbeatable bargains — plus a mouthwatering $100 off the iPad mini 4 — in this week’s roundup of the best Apple deals.

This week’s hottest deals on iPad Pro, Apple accessories, more

By

These deals are hot, hot, hot!
These deals are hot, hot, hot!
Photos: Apple

One of Apple’s hottest products — the powerful new 9.7-inch iPad Pro, which Cult of Mac called the most important iPad since the original — is already selling at a discount.

We’ve got the scoop on that sale — plus sweet deals on other great gear, including refurbished MacBooks and spiffy Apple accessories — in this roundup of the best Apple deals you’ll find online this week.

Aluminum stand puts Apple monitors on fitting pedestal

By

Satechi's aluminum monitor stand is a stylish fit to your Apple work station.
Satechi's aluminum monitor stand is a stylish fit to your Apple work station.
Photo: Satechi

You already put your Apple computer on a pedestal. You might as well make that pedestal complimentary to Jony Ive’s design.

The tech accessories company Satechi on Thursday debuted a sleek aluminum monitor stand, perfect to give your iMac monitor or MacBook enough elevation to promote the good posture you otherwise ignore.

Want USB on your iPhone? There’s an adapter for that

By

You can now use this to connect USB peripherals to your iPhone.
You can now use this to connect USB peripherals to your iPhone.
Photo: Apple

Apple’s Lightning to USB connector has ostensibly been about connecting your iPad to a camera to import images directly to your tablet.

Now, with iOS 9.2, it looks like the same adapter can be used on your iPhone to get photos onto your smaller-screened device.

There’s even some evidence that the Lightning to USB adapter works to connect other USB peripherals, like MIDI keyboards or USB-powered microphones. If you’re a musician on the road without access to your iPad, this might be your new best solution.

Your Apple Watch will sparkle on this bejeweled charger

By

This crystal-encrusted charging dock for the Apple Watch and iPhone can be had for $5,000.
This crystal-encrusted charging dock for the Apple Watch and iPhone can be had for $5,000.
Photo: Defined Corp.

Watch snobs say the Apple Watch could never be a true collector’s items. But there is one Apple Watch charger guaranteed to be a pricey collectible.

It is saucer-shaped, gold in color and encrusted with 1,000 Swarovski crystals. Act now and you could own one of 10 for $5,000.

Poop now at your fingertips with new emoji keyboard

By

This keyboard from EmojiWorks is a quicker way to express your feelings via emoji.
This keyboard from EmojiWorks is a quicker way to express your feelings via emoji.
Photo: EmojiWorks

There’s now a faster way to flip the middle finger or display a steaming pile of poop – along with your other favorite emoji.

EmojiWorks has introduced what is probably the first portable keyboard with built-in emoji shortcuts. Each letter key displays two or three different emoji, which can be inserted into a message by pressing a dedicated emoji key.