Belkin trotted out two new Boost Charge Pro GaN wall chargers Tuesday in 65W and 45W versions. Both adapters feature dual USB-C ports and programmable power supply (PPS).
The compact chargers are designed for fast charging. You can use them to power up an iPhone 13 to half-full in 28 minutes, the company said.
★★★★★
The Wemo Smart Dimmer with Thread is a new version of Belkin’s HomeKit-compatible wall switch. It can be controlled with the press of a finger or from anywhere – across the room or across the country.
Putting “with Thread” in the name isn’t some odd reference to sewing. The switch uses a new form of mesh networking to provide fast, reliable connections to your home-automation system.
I was able to install the latest Wemo Smart Dimmer in my home because it doesn’t require a neutral wire. Here’s what it’s like to use everyday.
Place the new Belkin Connect USB-C 6-in-1 Multiport Hub in the back of an iMac or monitor to discreetly add multiple ports to a computer. It offers a couple of USB-A ports, memory card readers and more.
The hub is available now.
Dimming your lights is just the most obvious feature of the newly announced Wemo Smart Dimmer with Thread. It uses mesh networking to provide fast, reliable connections to your HomeKit home-automation system so you can control the switch from anywhere – across the room or across the country.
Plus, the wall dimmer switch doesn’t require a neutral wire so it can be installed in older homes as easily as new ones.
Nomad’s refined and costly Base One and Base One Max MagSafe chargers are widely considered to be of excellent quality, even “high-end” status. But now you can feel even more like a king — maybe King Midas — by snagging one with a rich golden hue.
That’s right, Nomad just rolled out golden gear for you, the Gold Base One and Base One Max.
Apple started selling several additional accessories Wednesday, including potent and relatively affordable MagSafe chargers from Belkin and OtterBox.
Other new accessories in the Apple Store include the Eve Outdoor Cam, Philips Hue smart lighting and more.
An improved version of the Belkin BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Stand supports fast charging Apple Watch Series 7 – up to 33% faster than Series 6.
And the stand still charges MagSafe iPhones at up to 15 watts. And it provides 5 watts to AirPods wireless charging cases.
The just-launched Belkin SoundForm Immerse Bluetooth earbuds offer more than just great sound. They have active noise cancellation, and also work with Apple’s Find My network so they can be located with an iPhone.
They offer many of the same features as Apple’s AirPods Pro but at a lower cost.
At a glance, today’s featured computer setup appears simpler than it really is. It showcases a Mac mini, a pair of mounted monitors and some typical-looking input devices. A row of water bottles stands to the right because the owner, who lives in India, is big on hydration as summer hits the subcontinent.
But there’s more to the setup than meets the eye. And some of it escapes the camera’s lens.
With a dozen ports, the Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock lets users connect a Mac to multiple accessories for data, video, Ethernet and power. All through a single high-speed cable connection.
Belkin also introduced a Thunderbolt 4 cable capable of handling data transfers at 40 Gbps.
The Wemo Smart Plug with Thread simplifies controlling lamps, fans, and other appliances with an iPhone or Siri. Anything that plugs into a standard wall outlet can be turned on or off.
Rather than Wi-Fi, the HomeKit accessory communicates with other accessories over Thread, a mesh networking standard.
Blogger Derek Seaman may be an IT systems architect in his day job, but he also designs and builds advanced computer setups. That is, if his home office is any indication. Which it is.
He shared his MacBook Pro-driven workstation — actually, the whole room — with Cult of Mac recently.
Belkin found a way to improve on Apple’s MagSafe charging puck for iPhone. Both charge equally fast, but Apple’s lies flat, while Belkin’s includes a built-in kickstand. Plus, the third-party accessory maker put in a much longer cable. And these are just some of the benefits of the (deep breath) Belkin Boost↑Charge Pro Portable Wireless Charger Pad with MagSafe 15W.
I put the wireless charger through a round of tests. It came through with flying colors.
Belkin rolled out an official, Apple-certified MagSafe iPhone charger this week — the Belkin Boost Charge Pro Portable Wireless Charger Pad with MagSafe. And it bets you’ll pay more for it than you would for Apple’s own MagSafe charging puck.
Why would you pay more? For two reasons. And no, the extra-long product name is not one of them.
Reader and technologist Andrew (last name redacted, so to speak) runs a “boutique AV, IT [and] cyber systems integration company from a home office” in London — though he supports sites worldwide. Clearly, he has a lot to do.
And he does it using a late-2013 Mac Pro he fondly said should be on the Death Star from Star Wars, plus a 2017 MacBook Pro he described to Cult of Mac as “perhaps the worst-constructed laptop I have ever owned.”
There is a lot to get HomeKit fans excited at this year’s CES tech showcase in Las Vegas. Quite a few companies announced products that will support Apple’s home-automation system, including lights, door cameras and more.
Glitzy projects like concept cars get more attention, but HomeKit accessories are more likely to make people’s lives better.
Building on other versions of ANC earbuds released in 2021, Belkin rolled out its new SoundForm Immerse Noise Cancelling Earbuds in Las Vegas this week — and they promptly became a CES Innovation Award 2022 Honoree.
The new buds challenge aging champ AirPods Pro, due for a revamp, not only with hybrid active noise cancellation (ANC) with Hear-Thru mode, but they work with Apple’s vast Find My network. And they flaunt a number of premium features.
Belkin introduced other products at CES, too, of course.
Belkin unveiled the Wemo Smart Video Doorbell that uses Apple’s HomeKit Secure Video. It’s built around a 4MP, wide-angle lens.
Also at CES 2022, Belkin announced redesigned smart plugs and lighting solutions with support for Matter over Thread, which means they’ll also support HomeKit.
Plus, the wraps came off Belkin SoundForm Immerse noise cancelling earbuds with support for Apple’s Find My system.
Some computer setups are remarkably cool for their awesome computing power. Others wow you with incredible displays, with several high-def monitors. And still others blow you away with premium sound. Or, in the case of today’s featured setup, premium audio-visual gear many people would be psyched to get their hands on.
How do you make MagSafe charging even better? Add a cooling fan that allows for the fastest possible charge over a longer period, of course. The Zike 2-in-1 does just that to become the “world’s fastest” MagSafe charger.
Zike promises 15W of power — the most MagSafe charging can offer right now — for significantly longer to enable up to 50% faster top-ups for iPhone 12 and 13. It also charges a second device, like AirPods, simultaneously.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: If you thought the M1 Max MacBook Pros were powerhouses, wait till you hear about the iMac Pro that might be coming down the pike. Apple reportedly wants to double up the world-beating chip to amp up the performance even more. Prepare to be amazed!
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.
The only thing I don’t like about Belkin’s 3-in-1 MagSafe wireless charger is its name. And, until now, its availability and price.
Those last two problems just disappeared, however briefly, as the hard-to-find 15-watt MagSafe charger is back in stock on Belkin’s website — and with a sweet 25% Black Friday discount to boot! Just be sure to use the promo code when you check out.
On Thursday, accessories maker Belkin introduced its new Boost Charge Pro Portable Fast Charger for Apple Watch, one of the first third-party releases to support the fast charging speeds of the Apple Watch 7.
Belkin’s new BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad is one of the first third-party accessories to support Apple Watch Series 7’s faster charging speeds. It also tops up your iPhone and a third device, like AirPods, simultaneously.
The charging pad even includes MagSafe to prevent your iPhone from getting knocked off it during the night — and it’s only a little more expensive than Apple’s far less versatile MagSafe Duo Charger.
This week on Cult of Mac’s podcast: We reminisce about Steve Jobs and his lasting impact on Apple, a decade after his death. Plus, M1X MacBook Pros might be coming soon. And the Apple Watch Series 7 launch looks quite weird indeed.
Also on The CultCast:
Listen to this week’s episode of The CultCast in the Podcasts app or your favorite podcast app. (Be sure to subscribe and leave us a review if you like it!) Or watch the video livestream, embedded below.