Upgrade your iPhone into a portable gaming console with Backbone One: Xbox Edition. Photo: Backbone
Clip the latest Backbone One iPhone controller to your iPhone to assemble what’s essentially an Xbox you can take anywhere. Press a dedicated button on the controller to dive into Xbox Cloud Gaming or Remote Play.
Save big on this advanced 25,000mAh power bank, which can fast-charge a MacBook and an iPhone at the same time. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
You know the feeling: You’re midflight, knee-deep in an important email or crushing it in a gaming session — and your laptop battery hits 1%. Panic mode activated. But with the Iniu Leopard 140W power bank, that nightmare (technically, it’s called nomophobia) never needs to happen again.
This airline-approved power bank isn’t just another bulky battery pack, either. It’s a fast-charging, multidevice powerhouse that can revive your MacBook Pro to 59% in just 30 minutes or juice up your iPhone 15 Pro Max to 71% before you finish your coffee. Loaded with advanced features and designed for everything from smartphones to gaming consoles, it’s the power solution you didn’t know you needed — but definitely do. And it’s on sale now for just $93.99.
Save 25% on this RFID-blocking MagSafe wallet that doubles as an iPhone stand. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
Tired of retracing your steps to find your lost wallet? This Folding MagSafe wallet with Find My can stop your endless searching. Snag one, and you can use real-time tracking and audio alerts to quickly locate it, whether it’s nearby or across town.
Designed to work seamlessly with iPhone 12 through iPhone 16, it offers secure storage for up to eight cards while doubling as a versatile accessory. For a limited time, you can save 25% and get one for $29.99. (Note: This MagSafe wallet is not compatible with iPhone 12 mini or iPhone 13 mini, or with iPhone 16e.)
Your iPhone and SD or microSD cards can be friends. Image: Cult of Mac
While your iPhone doesn’t have a built-in microSD card reader, adding a plug-in memory card reader is easy. And it requires no additional software. The same goes for iPads.
★★★★☆
Stop missing out on local TV with an affordable Tablo over-the-air DVR with antenna. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Nuvyyo’s Tablo picks up local TV broadcasts and lets you watch or record them on your TV, phone or tablet. As you’ll see in this Tablo TV review, it’s a brilliant solution for cord-cutters who lost access to CBS, ABC, etc., when they dropped their expensive cable subscriptions.
The device costs less than $100, with no subscriptions required and no hidden fees. For this review, I tested the latest Nuvyyo Tablo with my Apple devices and found the over-the-air DVR to be darn good, if not perfect.
Record an hour of ProRes video directly onto the ShiftCam Planck. Photo: ShiftCam
ShiftCam calls the Planck “the world’s smallest portable SSD,” and it’s certainly very tiny. Plus, its USB-C connector is designed so the drive fits neatly on the bottom of an iPhone Pro where it’s ready to store up to 2 TB of high-resolution ProRes video as it’s being recorded.
The very, very compact drive can be pre-ordered now at up to 35% off the regular price.
This rugged solar power bank can keep your iPhone charged anywhere. Photo: Cult of Mac Deals
HyperGear’s SolPro 10K Fast Charge Solar Power Bank is a rugged, sun-powered beast that’s built for adventure and ready to keep your devices alive, no matter where you roam.
With a 10,000mAh battery, fast-charging 20W USB-C port and a built-in solar panel for emergency recharging, this power bank is perfect for campers, travelers and anyone who refuses to be held hostage by a dead battery. And right now, you can get yours for just $37.99 (regularly $44.99).
Leica Lux Grip makes iPhone photography easier to handle. Photo: Leica
Attach the Leica Lux Grip to your iPhone to add a shutter release. Plus, the magnetic accessory adds other buttons and a dial that can be customized. And a grip, naturally.
All this is a design intended to recreate the feel of using a classic Leica camera.
Nomad Universal Cable for Apple Watch charges your wearable and your Mac at once. Photo: Nomad
When you need to juice up your iPhone and Apple Watch, a single cable isn’t going to do you much good… unless it’s the latest innovation from Nomad. The new Universal Cable for Apple Watch charges the wearable while also sending current to another USB-C device, like a MacBook or iPad.
The PNY PRO Elite V3 might be the affordable external storage you’re looking for. Photo: PNY
A new mobile SSD called the PNY Pro Elite V3 holds terabytes of data and can transfer that data at up to 1,000MB/s. But perhaps its standout feature is price: the 2TB variant comes in at just $145.
PNY also just introduced two other speedy USB-C drives that top out at 256GB — but cost less than $25.
★★★★☆
Don’t be fooled; Looking Glass Go is like no other digital picture frame. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Your iPhone takes beautiful bokeh images, and these look truly astonishing on Looking Glass Go, a display that turns your pictures into 3D holograms. Children, pets, whatever you send to the screen seems to be floating in the frame. No headset or special glasses are necessary.
As cool as the 6-inch photo frame is — and it’s very cool — my time with the product turned up limitations you should consider before purchase.
Insta360 Flow 2 Pro keeps your iPhone steady when its moving during filming. Photo: Insta360
Insta360 Flow 2 Pro gimbal keeps an iPhone steady during filming so it can be moved to follow the action. Or it can act as a tripod stand and automatically keep the camera pointed at the person being recorded even if they move around. Plus, the accessory can recharge the phone.
“The idea of Flow 2 Pro is simple: Bridge the gap between professional-quality tools and everyday accessibility,” shares JK Liu, founder of Insta360.
OhSnap Mcon iPhone game controller is already a huge success month before its launch. Screenshot: OhSnap
Only about 0.1% of Kickstarter campaigns bring in over $1 million. The latest to pass that lofty mark is the OhSnap Mcon mobile gaming controller, which magnetically attaches to an iPhone to add joysticks, buttons and a D-pad.
A prototype of the accessory was on display at CES 2025 where it earned loads of compliments. It “may set a new standard for mobile gaming,” said Engadget, for example.
This svelte combo is ready to record 2TB of ProRes video. Photo: ShiftCam
ShiftCam calls the Planck “the world’s smallest portable SSD,” and it’s certainly very small. That and the unusual placement of its USB-C connector allow the drive to fit neatly on the bottom of an iPhone Pro and hold up to 2 TB of high-resolution ProRes video as it’s being recorded.
The accessory hits the market soon and is being shown off at CES 2025 this week.
★★★★☆
With the mophie Powerstation Plus Ultra in your bag, you’re always ready to charge your iPhone anywhere you go. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The mophie Powerstation Plus Ultra plugs directly into a wall, and built-in cables let it plug straight into your iPhone or Mac. But it’s no simple wall adapter — it’s also a 10,000mAh power bank.
I put the all-in-one device to the test. It’s a bit of a brick, but delivers when it counts.
Add terabytes of ProRes video storage to your iPhone with SanDisk Creator Phone SSD. Photo: SanDisk
The SanDisk Creator Phone SSD sets itself apart from rival portable drives with MagSafe. This means the drive magnetically clings to an iPhone where it’s available to hold up to 2 TB of ProRes video as it’s recorded.
SanDisk unveiled the SSD at CES 2025, along with other new storage options.
Make your iPhone easier to hold while taking pictures with Belkin Stage PowerGrip. Photo: Belkin
The Belkin Stage PowerGrip adds the grip DSLR camera users are familiar with to an iPhone. Built into the grip is a battery which sends power to the handset via the MagSafe magnetic charging mat integrated into the device.
And his is just one of multiple new accessories Belkin unveiled in time for CES 2025.
★★★★☆
Put any picture you want on the Tizag Digital Canvas iPhone Case. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Tizag Digital Canvas iPhone Case makes cases with single pictures obsolete. It includes a screen you can update with new images whenever you want, and so offers almost endless personalization.
It won’t drain your phone’s battery, but the case does protect your device when you’re on the go.
I tested the case, and I really like it, despite some screen limitations.
The GameSir X3 Pro includes features many mobile controllers leave out. Photo: GameSir
The newly launched GameSir X3 Pro Mobile Gaming Controller packs Hall Effect sticks, dual rumble motors, micro switch triggers and detachable grips. And its USB-C connector and telescoping design means it fits a range of iPhone and Android models.
A stand-out feature is a cooling plate designed to prevent the handset from overheating while playing very demanding games.
Use these iPhone travel tips every time you hit the road or the skies. Photo: Unsplash
When traveling internationally with your iPhone, staying connected and avoiding unexpected surprises can be a bit of a balancing act. Whether it’s navigating unfamiliar streets, keeping in touch with family, or ensuring you don’t get hit with outrageous roaming fees, a little preparation goes a long way. Here’s how you can improve your iPhone use while traveling internationally.
★★★★☆
Protect your iPhone from excess heat with Aukey MagFusion GameFrost Wireless Charger. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The Aukey MagFusion GameFrost Wireless Charger cools your iPhone or Android while it juices up, preventing the heat that often results from charging from damaging the battery.
I put the accessory through its paces to see how quickly it charges an iPhone 16, and how well it cools the handset.
★★★☆☆
CRKD Atom is a tiny but usable game controller… for the right type of game. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
The CRKD Atom looks small enough to be a game controller for a doll, but it’s designed to clip on your keychain for gameplay wherever you go. It’s a way to have some fun with your iPhone when you find yourself with some unexpected time to kill.
I played with it, and while the complete lack of sticks greatly limits the controller, it’s possible to have fun with retro games.
iPhone 16 users can now get a combination case and power bank from mophie. Photo: mophie
The new mophie Juice Pack specifically for the iPhone 16 series merges a power bank into a form-fitting protective case. Put Apple’s latest handsets in the case to greatly extend the battery life and add 6 feet of drop protection.
External magnets allow the case to attach to other MagSafe/Qi2 accessories, like car mounts.
★★★★☆
Believe it or not, this gizmo expands to be a multi-connector iPhone/Mac charging cable. Photo: Ed Hardy/Cult of Mac
Rolling Square’s inCharge XS is a finger-size iPhone or Mac charging cable that squeezes in enough connectors and built-in adapters to ensure you can juice up virtually any Apple device.
Despite its diminutive size, the cable handles up to 240W of power. And it provides fairly quick data transfers, too.
I attached the inCharge XS to my keychain so I could put it to the test.
When you need to connect on the go, inCharge XS is there. Photo: Rolling Square
The name for inCharge XS must stand for “extra small.” It packs multiple USB formats plus a Lightning connector into a cable tiny enough to fit on a keychain. But it can handle up to 240W of power.
The accessory from Rolling Square enables any iPhone or Mac to plug into a battery or wall charger wherever necessary. It can even handle data transfers.