Few of the products I review end up in my gear bag, but one that made the cut is the Belkin BoostCharge Hybrid Wall Charger 25W + Power Bank 5K. What I love about it is that when I have this accessory with me, I know I can recharge my iPhone, whether I have access to a wall socket or not. That’s because it’s both an external battery and a wall charger in one. It’s even reasonably portable.
Even better, a deal knocks 15% off the price.
We can stop wondering about the details of the M5 iPad Pro — a YouTuber apparently got hold of Apple’s next tablet and revealed nearly everything about it. That includes running benchmark tests on the unreleased processor and finding a huge jump in graphics performance.
His time with the tablet — assuming this is a legitimate leak — shows that Apple must consider the previous M4 iPad Pro to be an excellent device because all that changed seems to be the newer, faster M5 processor.
North Dakota became the latest state to let residents add a digital version of their driver’s license to their iPhone and Apple Watch. After recent additions, a total of 12 states or territories now support digital IDs.
Currently, digital IDs are most useful for travelers, as they’re widely accepted at Transportation Security Administration security checkpoints.
Bring back the iPod! Apple should start manufacturing its dedicated music player again. With iPhones increasingly banned from schools, a simple entertainment device could fill the gap.
That said, creating a new iPod for the streaming era would not be as simple as bringing previous models back to life.
iOS 26.0.1 and macOS Tahoe 26.0.1 launched on Monday, bringing a range of bug fixes to the major operating system upgrades introduced earlier this month. That includes taking care of multiple issues in the new iPhone 17 series — some quite serious.
In addition, iPadOS 26.0.1, watchOS 26.0.2, tvOS 26.0.1 and visionOS 26.0.1 all went to users on Monday.
iOS 26 includes an anti-spam feature that can protect you from getting bombarded with text message spam on your iPhone. You just have to activate it.
It’s easy. Here’s what to do to save yourself from the hassle and potential cost of spam texts.
The Studio relentlessly mocks Hollywood and the film industry. It stayed popular during its first season, but that wrapped up months ago. This didn’t stop plenty of viewers from tuning back in after the show garnered an amazing 13 Emmy awards earlier this month to once again make it one of the most popular series on streaming, according to a company that track ratings.
Apple is reportedly testing an AI-powered chatbot that can perform many tasks that the promised Siri upgrade will be able to handle. The app supposedly gives Apple employees a way to test future Siri capabilities, but also to explore whether Siri needs a chatbot functionality.
ChatGPT, Google Gemini and others made AI chatbots mainstream, so not having one in the long-promised Siri revamp would be a glaring omission. One that would draw considerable criticism.
The latest iPhones show the devices’ battery cycle count, helping users track the long-term “health” of the battery. Displaying this data is simple, though it’s somewhat hidden.
In addition, you can check when the iPhone 15, 16 or 17 was manufactured and first activated. (Note: This does not work with older iPhones.)
★★★★★
Apple Watch SE 3 is a huge upgrade, packing an always-on display, a new processor, fast charging, gesture support and many more improvements. It’s so good that it presents a problem for Apple Watch buyers: is there a reason to pay more to get a Series 11?
After a week with the SE 3, I’m blown away at how much I got for $249. Here’s why.
The Logitech Signature Slim Solar+ K980 is powered by light, and it connects via Bluetooth, so no cables are ever needed.
It features a full keyboard layout with number keys in a slim and low-profile form. It works with Mac, iPad and iPhone.
Code found in iOS 26 beta 1 reportedly reveals that Apple is prepping a new feature: Background Security Improvements. These will patch security problems and won’t need the user to be involved or even be aware that a patch is being applied to their iPhone.
This is apparently the replacement for Rapid Security Responses, an iPhone security tool that Apple introduced but then hasn’t used in years.
Do not worry that you’ll accidentally bend your iPhone Air. Despite its super-slim shape, tests show that it takes a huge amount of pressure to get the sleek new model to break.
That should reassure those who might accidentally sit on the handset.
Enough customers are snapping up the base-model iPhone 17 that Apple reportedly asked the companies that assemble the handset to increase production.
There are also signs that the top-of-the-line iPhone 17 Pro Max is selling well.
Spike Lee’s crime drama starring Denzel Washington keeps pulling in a large audience, defying a possible second week drop off. Highest 2 Lowest earned a spot among the most popular films on streaming, according to two companies that track ratings. It’s a win for Apple TV+.
Plus, Apple TV+’s comedy The Studio had a comeback after winning lots of awards this week, and Apple’s adaptation of the sci-fi classic Foundation stayed popular even as its third season wrapped up.
★★★★★
Apple put an always-on screen in the iPhone 17 and improved the display’s refresh rate to 120 Hz. Plus, the selfie cam got a brilliant new feature. There are plenty of other enhancements too — including double the storage capacity! — which all combine to make Apple’s new base-model iPhone a welcome upgrade for those ready to move up from an aging device.
This is the first time I’ve regularly used a basic iOS model in almost a decade. I’m impressed with what Apple offers for $799. It’s really made me question the need for a Pro model. Here’s why.
AirPods have a new trick that lets them work as a camera remote. Simply pressing the earbuds’ stem can control your iPhone’s Camera app and snap a picture. This proves helpful when you want to set your iPhone to take a large group photo with you in it.
However, the feature is off by default. You need to activate it. Here’s what to do.
iPhone users who just installed iOS 26 might notice a reduction in their battery life, or that their phone is heating up. The devices might even be running a bit slower. A new Apple support document explains that this is temporary as the iOS update process continues in the background.
★★★★★
The just-launched LaCie Rugged SSD4 from Seagate is for “creators working beyond the four walls of a studio.” It’s designed to stand up to punishment while offering terabytes of storage and USB4 data transfer speeds. That’s fast enough for iPhone Pro users to record ProRes 4K video.
I put the SSD through real-world testing. Here’s how it came out.
Grid Studio creates striking iPhone artwork by carefully deconstructing vintage Apple devices and arranging their components in sleek, museum-style frames. And now a deal knocks up to 57% off the cost of a range of offerings — from an original iPhone to an iPhone 13 — to celebrate the company’s fifth birthday.
But don’t procrastinate. The sale ends in two days.
Early reviews of AirPods Pro 3 are out, and wow, are they positive. Engadget calls Apple’s latest a “comprehensive update to its best set of earbuds.” Cnet‘s headline perhaps said it best: “Big improvements, same price, no compromises.”
After poring over AirPods Pro 3 reviews from a wide variety of sources, it’s hard to find a negative comment anywhere.
iPadOS 26 is the biggest iPad revamp since 2010, bringing new features that make the tablet far more Mac-like. And there are other enhancements too, especially the user interface overhaul dubbed Liquid Glass that Apple’s latest software brings to all of he company’s devices.
Here are the best changes to iPadOS 26 … the ones you’ll use every day. (Many of the new iPadOS 26 features can also be found in the latest iPhone software, so be sure to also read our guide to everything new in iOS 26.)
The iPhone 17 Pro Max seems to be the favorite of those rushing to grab a new Apple device on the first day of preorders. Order this model now in the United States, and the wait for the delivery stretches out until October.
In contrast, the super-slim iPhone Air can still be ordered for delivery on launch day, September 19. The same is true for iPhone 17 Pro and the base model iPhone 17.
UPDATE: Two days after 2025 iPhone preorders began, the wait time to have most iPhone 17 Pro Max configurations delivered from the U.S. Apple Store has slipped to mid-October. But the situation hasn’t changed for the iPhone Air: You can still order the super-slim phone for delivery on launch day, September 19. Meanwhile, early stocks of the base-model iPhone 17 and iPhone 17 Pro are starting to run out.
September 12, 2012: The Lightning connector replaces Apple’s aging 30-pin interface, a proprietary data and power connector that debuted on the iPod Classic in 2003. The slender and capable new Lightning port debuts in the iPhone 5, bringing big improvements — and no small amount of controversy.
Apple soon will build the Lightning connector into many other products, including iPad, iPod and accessories. Lightning cables can charge the mobile devices as well as transfer data to a Mac or PC.
A deal on the Samsung T9 SSD lets you add terabytes of storage to your Mac or iPad without breaking the bank. The T9 offers up to 4TB of capacity and offers blazing fast data transfers, without the risks of cloud storage. And you can grab the SSD now at up to 36% below the original cost.
For an even more affordable option, the older Samsung T7 is available with considerable discounts, too.