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Reviews - page 110

ID America’s SmartFold Case For iPad Mini Is Ideal For The Office [Review]

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The id America SmartFold is a leatherette folio case for the iPad mini which offers drop protection and a smart design that will fit in just nicely at your next board meeting. It protects your iPad mini from top to toe, with a reinforced back for impact absorption and a sturdy front cover that stays closed with magnets.

SmartFold by id America
Category: Cases
Works With: iPad mini
Price: $39.95

The SmartFold provides access to all of your iPad mini’s ports and buttons, and leaves its front- and rear-facing cameras exposed. Its front cover can be folded back into a stand for typing or watching movies, and it has a soft microfiber lining to prevent your device from getting scratched.

The SmartFold is available in black and white and it’s priced at $39.95. I’ve been using it for the past two weeks to find out if it’s any good.

EarSkinz Provide A Higher Level Of Comfort And Usability Than Plain EarPods [Review]

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EarSkinz for EarPods ES2
EarSkinz by EarSkinz
Category: Headphone Accessories
Works With: Apple EarPods
Price: $10.95

When I opened the mailing box to find three pairs of EarSkinz, I wasn’t super impressed. Especially as this model, the ES2, so closely matched the shape of the EarPods it’s designed for use with, I figured it was just another throwaway product.

My apologies for even writing the above, but imagine my surprise when EarSkinz turned out to be an essential accessory for my set of EarPods. I’m even thinking about buying a pair of ES1s for my older Apple earbuds.

The EarSkinz marketing material claims that the little ES2 silicone earbud coverings will improve the comfort, fit, and sound of a pair of EarPods. I found that they indeed improved the comfort and fit, but I’m not so sure about improving the sound, though of course your mileage may vary.

Shuttr, A Bluetooth Remote For Your iPhone Camera [Review]

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Shuttr by Muku
Category: Photography
Works With:Anything with Bluetooth
Price: $29

Possibly the most ridiculous omission from the iPhone’s camera app is a self-timer. If you want to take a selfie, or a group shot with you in it, or even a shake-free photo in low-light, then you’ll have to download a third-party camera app with a countdown timer built in.

Why is such a simple feature missing? Who knows? My cyclical side says that Apple is avoiding the inevitable lawsuits that would pour in when phones started getting snatched mid-photo whilst propped on the tops of inner-city walls.

Whatever the reason, Shuttr is here to fix the problem.

The Kii Is Sync-And-Charge Piece Of Mind On A Keychain [Review]

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Kii by Bluelounge
Category: iPhone Cables
Works With: Any iPhone or iPad
Price: $19.95-39.95

We’ve all been there: out of juice on the road and with no charging cable on hand. You can, of course, carry around a 30-pin or Lightning charging cable with you, but that takes up space. There’s something to be said for a small footprint and peace-of-mind.

Enter the Kii by Bluelounge. It’s sync-and-charge piece of mind on a keychain, in a very convenient form factor.

‘Knightmare Tower’ Is Great For Short Bursts Of Fast-Paced Twitch Gaming [Review]

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The endless runner genre continues to iterate across a variety of gaming apps for iOS, with clones and actual, unique ideas vying for the same space. Knightmare Tower, from Juicy Beast Studio, is one of the latter: a vertical endless runner with a twitchy, compelling take on the genre.

Players take on the role of a Knight, whose gameboy gaming session is interrupted by a letter from the local king. All of the king’s princess daughters have been captured by an evil skull, and must be rescued (sigh). Tired trope aside, the Knight leaps into action astride a wooden rocket ship, intent on flying to the top of the evil castle tower and rescuing a princess per level.

‘The Drowning’ Suffers From Console-Sized Expectations [Review]

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Grrr...argh...
Grrr...argh...
The Drowning by Mobage, Inc.
Category: iOS Games
Works With: iPad, iPhone
Price: Free

Let’s get this out of the way right up front, ok? Scattered Entertainment’s The Drowning is a drop-dead gorgeous free-to-play game with a well-designed control scheme that (almost) makes playing a first-person shooter (FPS) worthwhile on a touchscreen. This is, in fact, an important release for those three facts alone.

Ultimately, though, the game suffers as a direct result, I think, of these very same features. I went into the game expecting to find at least some console-level depth in storyline, level design, and the like. What I found, however, was much less interesting.

‘Freak Tower’ Adds Tower Defense To Building Sim With Solid Results [Review]

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Buncha freaks up in here.
Buncha freaks up in here.
Freak Tower by GungHo Software
Category: iOS Games
Works With: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch
Price: Free

The developer behind incredibly successful free to play iOS game, Puzzles & Dragons, is back with a new free to play title called Freak Tower.

Launching the game for the first time allows prospective tower builders to walk through a tutorial that gives a decent overview of the game. The idea here is to build a tower, one floor up at a time, and fight off various monsters that climb said tower to steal the food that’s dubiously placed on the roof.

The iProp Holds Any iPad On Almost Any Surface, Simply and Easily [Review]

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iProp Universal Tablet Stand by Dockem
Category: iPad Stands
Works With: Any iPad
Price: $29.99

The iProp is so basic in its design that it’s obvious the designers worked very hard at it. When I first opened the bag it came in, I wondered what the big deal was. So what? It’s a beanbag with an iPad stand on it. Big deal.

Then I tried it out for a few days. I used it on my coffee table, on the arm of my recliner, and in my lap. I took it to the coffee shop and to a friend’s house. I started to get used to it. I started to like it. I wondered where it was when I didn’t take it with me.

Now that’s a well-designed product.

Zattere Is A Padded Paper iPad Sleeve You’ll Want To Draw All Over [Review]

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Zattere iPad Sleeve from Papernomad / Art of me & my pup from @skylaarsays
Zattere iPad Sleeve from Papernomad / Art of me & my pup from @skylaarsays

Walk the halls of Macworld or the Consumer Electronics Show for too long, and the sheer googolplex of injection-molded iCases hanging all around can actually make you go cross-eyed. The bedazzled ones are especially dangerous—that’s a medical fact.

Zattere iPad Case by Papernomad
Category: Cases
Works With: Any iPad
Price: $50

Bucking that trend, the Zattere from Papernomad is a naturally-crafted iPad sleeve you’ll enjoy looking upon as much as using. No, paper, wool, cotton, and thread might not sound like the materials that belong in a protective iPad sleeve, but they do work well, and then there’s this: in five years, a plastic case will look positively forlorn; paper though, artfully aged with your doodles and sketches, becomes an artifact you may wish to keep even after its utility has long gone astray.

WaterFi Will Let You Swim Laps With Your iPod Or Nike+ Fuelband [Review]

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There is an ocean of fitness trackers out there, but not many you can take into the ocean with you. There is still a large pool of sports MP3 players out there, but not many that can go swimming. We take for granted the reason for this sad set of affairs. Water may be the giver of life to this planet, but it is the supreme enemy of gadgets everywhere.

Waterproofing by Waterfi
Category: Fitness
Works With: Nike+ Fuelband, iPod Shuffle
Price: $224.99, $139.99

That’s an annoyance even for the best of us. How many times have you been jogging, only for your MP3 player to get shorted out in the rain, or for your headphones to short out from your own sweat? And it’s doubly annoying for swimmers like me, who not only can’t take an iPod into the pool with us when we’re swimming laps, but who can’t even track our swims using fitness trackers like the Nike+ Fuelband.

That’s where WaterFi comes in. A Californian company, WaterFi specializes in taking other company’s gadgets and waterproofing them with a dual-coated, patent-pending process. WaterFi’s promise is that their process will make any gadget utterly resistent to even the most through dunking, but how well does it work in practice?

WaterFi was kind enough to send Cult of Mac two of their products for review: their waterproofed iPod Shuffle swim kit and their Waterproofed Nike+ Fuelband. But how well does it actually work?

‘Shadowrun Returns’ Is A Fully Realized Tabletop To Digital RPG Conversion [Review]

By

pikePlace01
Shadowrun Returns by Harebrained Schemes
Category: Mac Games
Works With: OS X
Price: $19.99

I’ve just spent the last several hours knee-deep in the drek of post-magic Seattle, mixing and fighting with dwarves, trolls, mages, and deckers, and I’m here to tell you it’s utterly wiz.

Shadowrun Returns is out now on Steam for Mac and PC and should be headed to iPad and Android soon, as well. In my short time with the game, I’ve got to say that I’m deeply impressed.

Every written line, all the dialogue, the visuals, are pure Shadowrun, down to the totem poles on the corners of downtown Seattle and the angry patois of the citizen characters running in the shadows beneath the megacorps who care only about nuyen, the currency of the age.

The music and the visuals are fantastic, conveying a sense of dread and decay in every environment, but, honestly, Shadowrun Returns shines due to its fictional setting and attention to storytelling.

I’m hooked, and can’t wait to find out what happens next.

Tru-Fit Anti-Glare Films For iPhone 5 Prevent The Sun From Ruining Your View [Review]

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Reflection-free.

Ah, summer. Isn’t it just the best time of year? But like the other three seasons, it has its drawbacks. It gets too bright too early, ruining your lie-in; bugs and creepy-crawlies decide it’s okay to come live with you; and the sun is so bright you have to find some shade every time you need to reply to a text message because you can’t see your screen.

Tru-Fit HD Anti-Glare by Tru
Category: Screen Protector
Works With: iPhone 5
Price: $19.95

But the latter can be eliminated with the Tru-Fit HD Anti-Glare film for iPhone 5. It’s a screen protector that utilizes “the highest grade materials and cutting-edge technologies” to provide your iPhone’s Retina display with scratch protection and a matte finish that doesn’t reflect light.

Every Tru-Fit film is precision die-cut to ensure a perfect fit, and they are applied using the included Tru-Fit applicator, which ensures every film goes on straight, and without dust or bubbles beneath it.

Every one of its four layers has an important role to play, and they combine to create a strong screen protector that promises to install easily, stick well, protect your display from damage, and be removed with no residue.

The Tru-Fit costs $19.95 for two films, which isn’t exactly cheap when it comes to a screen protector. But let’s find out if you get what you pay for.

The Most Powerful DJ App For Everyone Arrives With djay 2 [Review]

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djay iPad
djay 2 by Algoriddim
Category: Music
Works With: iPhone, iPad
Price: $1.99 (iPhone), $9.99 (iPad)

DJing used to be something only the pros did. Hardware was (and still can be) incredibly expensive, and the barrier to entry was set high. Only in the last four to five years has a new generation of untrained DJers emerged, and you can trace the movement’s genesis back to a single app.

Algoriddim’s djay is the leading consumer/prosumer app of its kind on the Mac, iPad and iPhone. With millions upon millions of downloads, djay has received a ton of love from its users, the press, and Apple itself. You may have seen it on an Apple commercial once or twice. Steve Jobs highlighted it during the iPad 2 event in 2011.

Today djay 2 has arrived for the iPad and iPhone. Algoriddim has rebuilt the app to include powerful, truly one-of-a-kind features for amateurs and professionals, while maintaining the same fist-pumping, enjoyable experience from the original version.

Olloclip Tele+Polarizer Is Even Better Than The Original [Review]

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Olloclip Tele Polarizer by Olloclip
Category: Cameras
Works With:iPhone 4/4S/5
Price: $100

The Olloclip must be one of the most useful iPhoneography accessories around. It’s a tiny clip-on widget which adds three additional lenses to the iPhone: macro, wide-angle and fisheye.

And until now, the only thing it was really lacking was a telephoto – after all the more-or-less 35mm equivalent lens on the iPhone is already wide enough for most uses. Olloclip has fixed that with this new lens, and added another handy accessory in the box: A circular polarizer.

This Brushed Aluminum And Italian Leather Case Stunningly Redefines Any iPhone 5 It Carries [Review]

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Amazing packaging, too!
Amazing packaging, too!
Signature iPhone 5 Case by Truffol
Category: iPhone Case
Works With: iPhone 5
Price: $75 for Classic, $60 for Minimalist

When I received the Truffol “Signature” case in the mail, I was prepared to be underwhelmed. After all, how much can a case maker bring to the table that hasn’t already been brought (broughten?) several times over?

It turns out the answer to that question is, “quite a bit.”

This precision-designed metal and leather case is a striking combination of frame and backing piece, and it genuinely makes my iPhone 5 feel like a whole new luxurious device, waiting to be touched.

Phiaton’s Bridge Headphones Quiet Noisy Rooms With Isolated Tunes [Review]

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Quiet lies within Phiaton's Bridge MS 500 headphones.
Quiet lies within Phiaton's Bridge MS 500 headphones.

Let’s be honest—people buy $300 headphones for two reasons: they like the way they look or like the way they sound.

Bridge MS 500 Headphones by Phiaton
Category: Headphones
Works With: iPhone, iPod, iPad, or Mac
Price: $300

Phiaton knows that, which is why they put so much effort into making the Bridge MS 500 headphones look like the interior of a Italian sportscar. But for those looking for more substance, how about this: good fidelity and great sound isolation so you can hear more nuances in your music. Sound like a good recipe?

Ballistic Smooth Series For iPad Mini: A Good Balance Between Looks & Protection [Review]

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Made from durable thermoplastic polyurethane, the Ballistic Smooth Series case for iPad mini aims to provide even the clumsiest of owners with all the protection they’ll need for their beloved tablet. And it does so without adding too much bulk.

Smooth Series by Ballistic
Category: Cases
Works With: iPad mini
Price: $39.99

“Your new iPad mini is a sleek and sexy piece of technology, we want to make sure you can keep it that way,” Ballistic says. “We developed the Ballistic Smooth Series case for the iPad mini. This case offers the best of both worlds, it is slim but still offers a lot of protection from the hazards of daily use.”

The Smooth Series comes in four colors — black, hot pink, charcoal, and purple — all of which include four sets of replaceable corner bumpers in a variety of different colors, so you can customize its look to suit you. It’s priced at $39.99, so let’s find out whether it’s worth it.

Apple Could Have Made Freeform3’s iPhone 5 Bumper [Review]

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Freeform3 iPhone 5 1
Aluminum Case by Freeform3
Category: Cases
Works With: iPhone 5
Price: $69.99

iPhone cases overwhelm me. There are cases made from wood, metal, plastic, recyclable material, leather, and fabric. I’ve tried nearly every kind you can imagine, but I have yet to find one that I’m happy to wake up to every morning—many probably feel that way about their lovers.

In my quest to find a good looking, functional, minimal iPhone case, I came across an aluminum case for the iPhone 5 by Freeform3, a Craftwerk company. What started as a Kickstarter project has turned into the best iPhone bumper I’ve ever used.

A Firmware Update Makes The BlueAnt Q3 Bluetooth Headset A Real Contender [Review]

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Ain't she purdy: BlueAnt's Q3 Bluetooth headset.
Ain't she purdy?

When I first tested the BlueAnt Q3 headset, paired with my iPhone 5, I was surprised by how poorly it performed. I couldn’t get over how bad the audio quality was, and I was surprised a top-notch company like BlueAnt could release such a dud. Investigating further, I decided to snoop around online to see what others were saying, but it I wasn’t alone, other iOS users we experiencing similar issues.

With that in mind, I had no choice but warn readers, and rate the Q3 poorly.

Q3 Bluetooth Headset by BlueAnt
Category: iOS Accessories, Bluetooth Headsets
Works With: iPhone, iPad
Price: $100

But here, the story begins anew. After filing my review, several readers, and BlueAnt themselves, alerted me that the real problem has to do with the problematic ways Apple implements Bluetooth, and BlueAnt assured me a simple Q3 firmware update would absolve any audio issues I may have had. Fair enough, I thought, after all, this wasn’t the first time I had experienced subpar audio with Bluetooth headsets that, when used with non-Apple devices, seemed to function sublimely.

I’ve now tested a brand new fully-updated Q3, and I’m happy to report that it has indeed solved many of the Q3’s initial audio faux pas. BlueAnt, to their credit, has now earned at least some reprieve, as the Q3 is now bringing both fists to the fight.

Get A Grip With Speck’s HandyShell Case For iPad & iPad Mini [Review]

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The Speck HandyShell for iPad and iPad mini is a protective case with an integrated multi-function utility handle that lets you hold it, mount it, stand it, and hang it. It allows you to use your device in new ways in all kinds of situations.

HandyShell by Speck
Category: Cases
Works With: iPad/iPad mini
Price: $54.95

It has a hard plastic back with impact-resistant, “bump-proof” rubber sides that protect the edges of your iPad from dings and drops, and extend around to the front to protect its display. So if your iPad falls flat on its face, the HandyShell will take the brunt of the impact — not your screen.

As you would expect, the HandyShell makes all of your ports, buttons, and cameras easily accessible, and it’s available in a number of colors. But at just under $55, is it a little too expensive?

Grove SkateCase Is Lovely, But Is It Worth The Price? [Review]

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SkatCase by Grove
Category: Cases
Works With: iPhone 5
Price: $150

Grove was last seen on these hallowed pages when I wrote about the SkateBack, an iPhone 5 rear panel fashioned from the offcuts of old skateboards. Now I actually have a skate-derived case in my hands. It’s still for the iPhone 5, but it’s a full case, not just a rear panel, and it comes in the same shape as Grove’s bamboo cases.

It’s pretty good. It’s also $150.

Smart Trigger Turns Your iPhone Into A DSLR Remote And Intervalometer [Review]

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Snugly In Your DSLR's Hotshoe: Satechi's Smart Trigger.
Snugly In Your DSLR's Hotshoe: Satechi's Smart Trigger.

Unless you like sprinting to beat your camera’s timer, as the family photog, you know often you just end up being left out of the family memories.

Smart Trigger by Satechi
Category: iOS/photography accessories
Works With: iPhone, iPod
Price: $45

The Satechi Smart Trigger can offer some help there. By connecting to your DLSR, it gives you a cartful of remote shutter controls that works wirelessly via your iPhone or iPod Touch. But it also includes some features advanced photographers, or those wanting to get into landscape or time-lapse photography, will find highly beneficial.

UPDATED: SENA’s Folio Case For The MacBook Air Is Beautiful, But Has A Problem [Review]

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Leather never goes out of style.

Folio Case by SENA
Category: Cases
Works With: MacBook Air
Price: $139.95

For most of the twentieth century, it’s been a material that testifies to professionalism and distinction, and while Apple’s glass-and-aluminum products may be designed with timelessness in mind, this timelessness interfaces well with leather’s inherent timefulness: the way the oils in your hands and the way you touch it give it character over time.

SENA is a company specializing in premium leather cased for phones, tablets and other devices. We gave their Folio Case for the 11-inch MacBook Air a spin. Leather looks good against aluminum and glass, but how does it feel? That’s what we set to find out.