Reviews - page 83

Best List: iClever BoostCube 3-port wall charger

I have a bit of an embarrassing problem: Part of my device-charging setup in my bedroom includes a power strip that sits on the floor next to my bed. It isn’t the worst thing ever, but it’s ugly, and sometimes I trip over it. But I may have found a solution in the 3-port iClever BoostCube. It will save my pride, and some space in my bag when I travel, and that’s just good news all around.

Plus, the ports glow an eerie blue when it’s plugged in, and that’s really cool-looking.

As important as it was for Apple to make the switch from 30-pin cables to Lightning cables alongside the release of the iPhone 5, there is one significant problem Apple has yet to address over the years: the durability of its charging cables. They bend, fray, tear and sometimes just stop working altogether even with only moderate use over time. Thankfully, third-party accessory makers have caught on to this, and have started offering solutions. One such offering is the MOS Spring Lightning Cable, which claims right on the packaging to be “the indestructible charge/sync cable.”

The iPhone and iPad are both great ways to consume news and RSS on the go, or while simply lounging around the house. No matter what service you use — Feedly, Feed Wrangler or something else — there are tons of RSS and news apps that support them. If you don’t need a news aggregator service, or don’t even know what that means, there are still news apps that can help you find interesting things to read.

These are currently the best of the best news apps available for iPhone and iPad — and why I think they’re so great.

You should never take a video projector camping — it completely defeats the object of the great outdoors. Unless you have kids. Then it’s handy to beam a movie onto the side of a tent to keep them quiet while you drink.

Perfect for the job is Sony’s $350 MP-CL1 — a small, battery-powered pico projector. Not much bigger than an iPhone 6+, it beams a surprisingly sharp and bright image that belies it’s small size.

Hook it up to your iPhone via a HDMI cable and adapter, and you’re off to the woods.

Best List: Fresh Brew Plus coffee maker by Zojirushi

Every coffee fiend has a morning ritual. For me, it’s getting up before my wife and brewing a half-pot of strong black coffee that we can share. She usually gets up much later than me (lucky her), so a thermal carafe works wonders for us: I can drink mine as early as I like, and she can enjoy hers at a more leisurely hour.

That’s one key reason I’ve abandoned fancier coffee makers and set up shop with a Zojirushi Fresh Brew Plus — among its other features, it boasts the best carafe I’ve ever used.

I waited for a GoPro-type video camera that won’t the break the bank, and happily discovered Vivitar’s DVR 786HD ActionCam fits the bill.

It’s tiny, capable and totally scratches my itch for an easy-to-use video camera to wean me off using up my iPhone’s battery to capture longer videos.

I found one of these ActionCams for around $75 or so on Amazon, and while it doesn’t offer all the extreme insanity of a GoPro, it’s a pretty nifty little camera on its own.

Do you frequently find yourself repeating the same blocks of text in emails? Or maybe you send certain sets of data, contact information or links on a regular basis. Text snippet and clipboard apps are lifesavers for anyone that finds themselves doing this. Many of them can not only capture and save from the clipboard, but make your most frequently used selections available in just a swipe.

These are currently my favorites when it comes to clipboard and text snippet apps, and why I’d recommend them.

Best List: Helly Hansen Alpha 2.0 Jacket

This jacket delivers comfort, no matter the conditions.

They call it the “Classic Resort Jacket,” and if this means I can hit the frontside corduroy, and the backside snow bowl, and also sip hot toddies in the lodge without ever worrying about maintaining or regulating my temperature, then they nailed it.

Sitting, or standing, in the correct position while working behind a Mac, or any computer, is incredibly important to your overall health — and ergonomic accessories can help. As I’ve come to learn over the past year, incorrect posture and bad ergonomics can result in back, neck and even foot injuries.

When I started struggling with neck and shoulder tightness, I never thought how I was working could be to blame, but after some back and forth with my doctors, the root of the problem had everything to do with my posture and how I was sitting and standing, particularly while working on my iMac or MacBook.

Best List: Gordy’s Camera Straps

Considering my Sony RX100 cost about 40 times more than a garden variety point-and-shoot camera, I’d expect it to come with a quality strap. But it does not. It comes with a shoelace attached to a string.

I wanted a strap I could securely attach to the tiny ring, let hang out from my bicycle jersey pocket, and slip my hand through for easy access.

While sifting through Sony camera internet forums, I discovered Gordy’s. And I’m ecstatic I did.

Best List: Priority Bicycles Classic Diamond frame bike

When it comes to bicycles I am profoundly inept. Riding is fine. Just don’t ask me to fix it when it breaks.

My assembly and maintenance skills are so bad, the last time I reviewed a bike I put a critical piece on the wrong side and didn’t realize my error for weeks until someone finally pointed it out in pics.

So when the folks at Priority Bicycles told me they have a bike that pretty much never ever needs repairs, I couldn’t wait to saddle up and see how well it rides.

Best List: CoverBuddy iPad Pro case by SwitchEasy

Keeping track of my Apple Pencil is a royal pain. Either I’ve got to slip it into a bag like an actual writing implement, carry it around in my pocket, or get one of those cases for my iPad Pro that adds a ton of bulk just to include a fabric loop to strap the Pencil in.

Not so the CoverBuddy case, an ultra-thin plastic sheath for the rear of the iPad Pro that includes something I wouldn’t expect from such a thin, light case: a secure spot for the Apple Pencil.

It’s simply the best minimalist pencil-holding cover I’ve seen yet.

For many of us, the iPhones in our pockets have long since replaced the need to carry around a regular DSLR or point and shoot camera. While the iPhone itself is typically all you need to start capturing great photos, there are a few iPhone camera accessories that can help take your iPhone photography to the next level.

These are some of my current favorites, all of which are compatible with the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus:

For nearly 20 years, watchmaker Eugene Ho has been making luxury timepieces for the likes of Hugo Boss, Tommy Hilfiger, Timberland, Ecko and Reebok. Now he’s branched out on his own. His startup, Juuk (pronounced “juke”), makes beautiful, high-end bracelets for Apple Watches.

Juuk’s wristbands rival Cupertino’s aesthetics and quality — but cost half the price.

Best List: CFH-V15 Video Monitor by Kodak

This new 350-degree pan and tilt home security camera from Kodak is the most amazing video monitor I’ve used, ever.

I’ve helped friends set up a few security cameras over the years, usually to keep an eye on their kids or pets, and the CFH-V15 blows all of them away with its ease of use, simple setup, and high-end video quality.

I sure wish I had one of these when my kids were young.

When I travel with my Mac, there are a few accessories I refuse to leave home without. Depending on how and where I’m traveling to, what I decide to pack may change, except for a few items. From making sure I’m never without the right kind of outlet adapters, to drowning out plane noise, these are the travel accessories for Mac I could never live without.

I’m not a fan of abstract puzzle games, which makes it quite a surprise how much I’m enjoying twofold inc., a fairly abstract puzzle game that challenges you to match colors with a bit of math.

Did I mention I don’t like math games, either? What gives?

Traditional email isn’t for everyone, and neither is the built-in Mail app for iPhone. If your email needs are minimal, the Mail app works just fine. However, if you live and breathe mail, you’ll want something that helps you triage faster. These are currently the best mails apps available for iPhone.

I travel frequently, both for work and for pleasure. Over the past few years I’ve found certain accessories I just can’t live without. Whether I’m walking out the door to a coffee shop or I am getting on a plane and need to pack more serious gear, these are the travel accessories I couldn’t live without when it comes to iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

Traveling abroad, especially for the first time, can be overwhelming. From figuring out transit systems to finding places to say, there’s a lot to consider. That’s why over the past several years, I’ve come to rely on a handful of choice apps to help me travel better, smarter, and cheaper.

International or not, these are the travel apps for iPhone and iPad I never leave home without:

If you can look Atomi‘s super-cute robot hero in his single, perfectly round eye and say that you don’t want to help him get home, then you may be a monster. I’m sorry you had to hear it from me.

Atomi needs to gather atoms to repair his busted spaceship, but he has a few things in his way. Specifically, he can’t climb or jump, and some of those things he needs are on very tall platforms. But that’s where you come in. And the time you spend getting the little ‘bot where he needs to be is both fun and charming as it sounds.

Best List: Smart Outlet by Nyrius

I just walked into my living room and the lamp came on, welcoming me in from a cold, dark morning at the gym.

When I leave for lunch later, it’ll turn itself off.

The home of the future is here, and it’s easier than ever to create with the Nyrius Smart Outlet, a Bluetooth wall plug that lets you turn any device with a plug into a smart device.

It’s a new year and a new you, and your iOS device just might be crying out for some new gaming titles to keep you fat and happy while you manage all those resolutions.

Whether you enjoy a deeper role-playing and crafting adventure to keep you tapping well into the evening over a long weekend, a musical adventure that you can create yourself, a Mad- Max-inspired demolition derby, or a quick brain-booster puzzle or two to keep your wits about you, we’ve got the five best on offer right now.

In no particular order, here are the best new iOS games that we’ve culled from a long list on the App Store.

A fairly popular group of apps for the Apple TV has been those that add a bit of scenic ambience to your living room. I’m talking live camera streams around the world or footage of gorgeous waterfalls. Even Apple’s own Aerial screensavers are stunning. One such app with a special twist is Aqua TV, which puts a customizable aquarium on your television screen. It’s beautiful to glance at in your peripheral vision, but also fun to build and personalize.

I don’t think I’m being hyperbolic when I say that the Lumiére lamp is the coolest one I’ve ever used. And I have a light on my nightstand that’s shaped like Obi-Wan Kenobi’s lightsaber, so you know it’s real.

The Lumiére wins out, however, due to its unique, clever design and flexibility. And I don’t just mean that the actual lamp bends and holds different shapes — which it does — but this is a single light that can do just about anything you need a light to do. It will fit in with any room in your house, and you might just end up taking it with you when you get up to do something. And that’ll be easy because it’s wireless and super portable.

It’s a really good device, is what I’m getting at.