The iOS music scene is stronger than ever, and 2018 saw some pretty awesome apps, from the simple MIDI keyboard app KB-1, to an Nanostudio 2, an entire Digital Audio Workstation (DAW) app that took its English programming team 6years to build. And that’s just the beginning. Lets check out the best iOS music apps of 2018.
On the hunt for a great tech-related book to bury yourself in this winter? Fortunately, 2018 turned out to be a great year for the written word.
Here are our choices for the best of the best.
Did you know that Gmail has more than 1.5 billion users? For a large portion of those users, email is something they must deal with on a regular basis — whether for work-related matters, personal communication or staying updated on the latest deals at their favorite retailers. Staying on top of your email can be a major pain, and even with all the smarts that Gmail offers, once you fall behind, it’s daunting to catch up.
Kiwi helps add a layer of convenience and intelligence to managing your Gmail and G Suite accounts on your Mac or Windows PC, all while offering the familiarity and comfort of Google’s mail platform.
Apple Pay and electronic IDs are removing the need for a wallet, but why wait? Try a Dodocase that holds your phone as well as your drivers license, credit cards, etc.
We went hands on with three of this company’s leather iPhone wallet cases so we can report how they stand up to real-world use.
Before Apple started selling the 2018 iPad Pro USB-C power charger as a stand-alone product, Scosche introduced one that’s slightly more expensive but offers significant advantages.
In addition, Scosche sells a USB-C/USB-A car charger that iPad Pro users should consider as well.
The last time I tried to use touchscreen gloves, I had made the decision to just never use my phone outdoors in the dead of winter. The damn things just weren’t warm.
I’m recalling this from my home in Minnesota, where this week’s lows are forecast to dip below zero for the first time this winter and I am wearing touchscreen gloves.
The latest iPad Pro includes the most significant changes Apple has made to its tablets in years. There’s USB-C instead of Lightning, Face ID instead of Touch ID, and the device is more portable. In some ways it’s better than a MacBook.
But that’s not to say Apple got everything right. The 2018 iPad Pro has problems noticeable enough to leave me questioning whether I made the right decision buying one.
Author’s Note Sept. 26, 2019: The release of iPadOS 13 brought so many new features that it removed nearly all my regrets about the iPad Pro. The addition of mouse support and full access to drives plugged into the USB-C port are game changers. And giving apps the ability to open multiple windows simultaneously greatly simplifies my workflow. It seems Apple took the unusual route of waiting about 9 months after the iPad Pro’s debut to introduce a software update that makes the tablet shine.
In short, many of the regrets listed here are no longer relevant in 2019.
Even a 15-inch MacBook Pro screen feels cramped when compared to a big desktop display. Too bad toting around a second screen for your laptop isn’t practical.
But maybe it is. Luna Display is a tiny wireless adapter that lets an iPad act as an external display for a Mac. We tested this accessory to see how well it lives up to its promise of a hassle-free way of extending our MacBook screen when on the go. Read on to find out how it did.
In German, the boy’s name “Yohann” means “gift of god.” The same could be said about the Yohann MacBook stand, a sculptural walnut base divine in both look and function.
You may want to say a little prayer when you place your MacBook Pro on this elevating perch for the first time, though. You will wonder how this thing can support your rather expensive machine.
The new iPad Pro is arguably the most powerful, most familiar, most versatile, and most fun computer you can get today. Yes, you read that correctly. I said computer.
For the past week, I’ve been testing out Apple’s latest 12.9” iPad Pro. I’ve used it around the house, and at work, in the kitchen, and in bed, at the coffee shop and on the couch – and it’s been great. I actually look forward to using it, and it has replaced both my MacBook and my iPhone for a lot of my most common situations.
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.
Since I got an new 2018 iPad Pro on launch day last week, I’ve used it exclusively. I haven’t touched my aging, decrepit Mac all week. I’ve used the iPad for work, and for play, so I’ve given it a pretty good workout. The short review is: It’s fantastic, and better in almost every way.
The long review? There are still plenty of annoyances.
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?
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.
The dividing line between MacBook and iPad Pro gets narrower every year. The new iPad Pro models added a USB-C port, further reducing the differences. This is a good opportunity to consider which is the right choice for your next computer.
There’s a tremendous amount of overlap in what tablets and notebooks do. But each is better than the other at some things. For many people, a MacBook is still the best option. But for others, an iPad Pro is a better way to go. Read on for suggestions on how to decide.
Every 2018 iPad Pro review I’ve read seems to be written by someone who doesn’t use the iPad like a pro. Most of the reviewers focus on using Apple’s new tablet they way most people do: reading the internet, doing some mail and watching lots of video.
Which is a shame, because there’s a lot to like in this iPad for “power” users, aka folks whose everyday carry is an iPad. People like me. The iPad has been my most-used device for years. I do everything on it. (Everything, ironically, except writing articles — but that’s because my ancient 27-inch iMac still works fine, and I like to use a trackpad for editing text.)
Rather than reviewing the iPad Pro from the point of view of a “normal,” I’m going to talk about this gorgeous new device like someone who uses an iPad for work every day.
The Mac mini is back! It’s no longer the ultra-affordable entry to macOS it once was. But it’s still the cheapest Apple computer you can buy — and there’s a good reason for the price hike.
This year’s upgrade (the first since 2014) makes it the fastest and most impressive Mac mini yet. Intel’s latest chips, coupled with faster RAM, ample storage options and all the ports you need are squeezed inside its tiny shell.
Here’s what the reviewers are saying so far.
The long-awaited MacBook Air update sports an all-new design and more powerful internals, but early reviews indicate there’s still room for improvement.
It’s also the most expensive MacBook Air to date. So, should you spend $1,199 on it when it lands in stores this week? Here’s what the first 2018 MacBook Air reviews have to say.
According to early reviews, you should absolutely rush out to get a new iPad Pro when the tablets go on sale Wednesday.
The iPad Pro was already the best tablet money could buy. And yet, Apple somehow made it even better with an improved design, an edge-to-edge Liquid Retina display, and an A12X Bionic chip that delivers unbeatable performance.
Don’t just take our word for it. See what the reviewers are saying below.
Travelers who don’t want to worry about finding electrical sockets for their iPhone or iPad should look no farther than the mophie Powerstation XXL. This external battery is relatively portable but still packs enough power to fully recharge an iPhone XS Max more than four times.
Even better, this accessory gets its power through a Lightning port, and it can charge three devices at once. We put the Powerstation XXL through a complete set of tests and bring you the results.
Tarah Pro earbuds, the latest wireless sports headphones from Jaybird, take adventure audio to new extremes. With smart new features and an astonishing 14 hours of battery life, these sweat-proof earbuds can go the distance — even if you’re a marathoner.
If you’re a fitness fanatic who constantly crushes your Activity goals during epic outdoor adventures, these might be the perfect Bluetooth earbuds for you.
The iPhone XR is typical Apple. It’s an entry-level phone with a bunch of premium features. Jony Ive just cannot cut corners, even if he wanted to. This is no plasticky, cut-rate phone built to meet a price point. It’s a primo phone with primo features (and a primo price tag, TBH). It just happens to be the cheapest new iPhone in Apple’s lineup.
The XR delivers everything customers care about: a big, beautiful screen; great cameras; long battery life; and Face ID.
The iPhone XR is arguably Apple’s most interesting smartphone of 2018 because of this slightly odd bundle of budget/premium features. It’s arguably a $1,200 phone in a $750 package.
For a chance to win a brand-new iPhone XR, enter our free giveaway here.
The iPhone XS camera is pretty incredible. The device uses its two rear cameras, plus the A12 chip’s Neural Engine, to record such an accurate 3D map of the scene that you can adjust the background blur with a slider. But that depth map is useful for more than just blurring backgrounds. It can be used by other apps to:
The iPhone XS is the gold standard for iOS cameras, but the XR manages some excellent tricks of its own. Despite having only one rear camera, the XR can still recognise people, and then use AI and the super-powerful A12 Neural Engine to separate out the person form the background. While this portrait matte isn’t as detailed as an iPhone XS depth map, it can in theory still be used to do many of the same tricks.
Today we’ll look at the best depth apps for the new iPhone XS, XR, and XS Max.
Linea Go is the little sister of Linea, perhaps the best pick-up-and-go drawing app on the iPad. And unlike the iPad, where there are a ton of really top-end drawing and painting apps, the iPhone has far fewer, especially if you just want a great way to lay down a quick sketch.
If nothing else, Linea Go shows just how great it would be if the Apple Pencil worked with the iPhone.
The first iPhone XR reviews are out just a few days before the handset makes its official debut, and one thing’s clear: This is one of Apple’s best smartphones to date.
Despite being a more affordable alternative to the iPhone XS, the iPhone XR is just as good in many areas, and even better in a few others. It makes some sacrifices to be more affordable, but it certainly lives up to the promises where it counts.
Here’s what the early reviews are saying so far.