When scoping out a new set of headphones, the balance between quality, convenience and cost is always at play. These headphones from Franklin manage to hit the intersection of all three, with a foldable yet solid build, sonorous sound and all the convenience of Bluetooth. Right now you can pick up a set for just $39.99 at Cult of Mac Deals.
Week’s newest deals: Light up your video chats, drink smarter and more [Deals]
Straight off the deals boat, we’re checking out some cool and unique new stuff this week. These deals include unlimited cloud storage for your music to a cup that watches what you drink, a light for late-night Facetime calls, and more. Take a look:
Always on the go? Stay charged with a pair of MFi-certified Lightning cables [Deals]
Whether you need an extra Lightning cable for the office or the weekend getaway bag, it’s always clutch to have a spare. And, let’s be honest, the standard Lightning cable that came with your iPhone has probably seen better days. Usually running upward of $20, this 2-meter, MFi-certified Lightning cable set costs just $12.99 — a total of 77 percent off the normal price. With a reach of 2 meters, you won’t have to worry about getting out of bed in the middle of Game of Thrones to charge your iPhone.
Buy now: Pick up a pair of 2-meter MFi-certified Lightning cables at 77 percent less than what you’d normally pay.
How to transfer your iPhone media to Mac (and back again)
Want a quick way to move your photos, music and documents from your iPhone to your Mac? What about backing up your iPhone on the go?
iKlips Duo is an innovative little gadget that will do both. It’s a well-made, MFi-certified USB stick that lets you connect to your iPhone (or iPad) via its Lightning port and to your Mac via a USB 3 port. Toss it in your bag and rest assured that you’ve always got a way to get your data off your iOS device.
It’s simple, easy and doesn’t require iTunes or iCloud. Here’s how to transfer your iPhone media to your Mac or PC, and then put it back, if you like, using the iKlips Duo.
Wrap your iPad and iPhone in luxurious leather [Reviews]
SurfacePad for iPhone and iPad solves a problem I have with most folio-style cases.
These tend to cover up too much of the gorgeous Apple design without giving much in return. There’s always a trade-off between form and function. If you’re going to hide the gleaming Apple devices behind a case, at least make it look as classy and useful as Apple does.
The SurfacePad for folio cases from Twelve South are delightfully minimal, covering the front and rear of your iPad or iPhone in luxurious leather without sacrificing a refined look.
Flexible stylus has some cool hidden talents [Reviews]
StylusFlex
Most people don’t use a stylus with their iPhones, and late Apple co-founder Steve Jobs wouldn’t want them to. But the StylusFlex might change a few minds because it’s not simply a substitute for the five styli you have at the end of your arm.
You have plenty of reasons to just stick with your fingers when you’re using your iPhone or iPad, and this device seems to realize that. That’s why it does a few extra things that might help it earn its keep.
These accessories will give your iDevices a new lease on life [Deals]
You love your iPhone, you love your iPad, but what if you could make them even more worthy of your (let’s be honest, slightly creepy) affection?
We’ve found four peripherals that’ll enhance, protect and expand the capabilities of your favorite iDevice. From glow-in-the-dark charging cables to slim charging cases and flexible mounts, there’s something here anybody can enjoy. Take a look!
Why the 9.7-inch iPad Pro is Apple’s most important iPad since the original
Small was the new big at Apple’s “Let us loop you in” keynote today. And while some felt the 64-minute unveiling was the most snooze-worthy event ever, Apple used it to unleash the most important iPad its made since the original tablet launched in 2010.
The new 9.7-inch iPad Pro is much more than just a smaller variant of the 12.9-inch super slate Apple came out with last year. It’s a machine built to target Apple’s next big customer pool: the 600 million people still using 5-year-old PCs.
“That’s just sad,” Apple VP Phil Schiller said onstage, describing the unfortunate souls toiling with aging Windows machines. And the new, right-sized iPad Pro is exactly what those people need.
Laptop or tablet? Brydge the gap with Bluetooth iPad keyboard case [Reviews]
We all like to carry our gadgets around with us, but there are certainly times when being ultra-portable is apropos to the activity at hand. Say, vacation. I want to be able to take along just my iPad, or perhaps get some writing done in the local coffee shop — and the trendy ones usually have tiny tables that aren’t big enough for a full laptop.
The BrydgeAir iPad keyboard case is an impressive Bluetooth accessory and a fantastic match for the iPad Air. The keyboard allows me to be a bit more productive than I would without an actual keyboard, turning my iPad into a small, MacBook-like, laptop-style tablet.
Beefy iPad Pro case is worth its weight in protection [Reviews]
Best List: DropTech protective case for Apple iPad Pro by Gumdrop
Apple charges a whopping $599 to repair a broken screen on an iPad Pro. With its 13-inch screen, yeah, the Pro has a lot of glass, but 600 bucks is nearly as much as it costs to buy a new one. Yeah, I couldn’t believe it either.
So I’m grateful that my iPad Pro is safely ensconced in the equivalent of a big, rubbery safety blanket. Gumdrop’s DropTech Case looks like a flattened tractor tire, with big ridges on the back for maintaining a grip. It’s not elegant by any stretch of the imagination, but I’m confident it’ll save me a trip to the Genius Bar.
6 must-have iPhone and iPad accessories for musicians [Reviews]
iPhones and iPads have become more than just media-consumption devices in so many ways. From using an iPad as a virtual cookbook to using it as a portable way to develop a website, the iPad and iPhone are extremely useful in everyday life. One of the biggest categories where these devices have made a huge difference is music.
Best iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch accessories for frequent travelers
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.
iPad Air 3 case on Alibaba hints at Smart Connector
It’s a product with some holes in it and it’s the holes that could be of interest to Apple fans excited about the upcoming iPad Air 3.
A photo allegedly showing an Air 3 case has cutouts for a Smart Connector and four speakers. The Japanese Apple blog Macotakara raised the possibility of a beefed up iPad after seeing a case available for pre-order on Alibaba.
This attaché is ready to serve your iPad Pro
Companies have designed shoulder bags exclusively for iPads, but let’s face it — most of us just toss them in whatever bag we have. Sure, we’ll spend on a hard cover or even a protective sleeve, but the iPad’s size and sleekness don’t demand that we dedicate a separate bag.
But the iPad Pro changes things a bit. It’s larger, is best utilized with an attachable keyboard and, if you live the creative life, you need a place to stow that Apple Pencil.
Want USB on your iPhone? There’s an adapter for that
Apple’s Lightning to USB connector has ostensibly been about connecting your iPad to a camera to import images directly to your tablet.
Now, with iOS 9.2, it looks like the same adapter can be used on your iPhone to get photos onto your smaller-screened device.
There’s even some evidence that the Lightning to USB adapter works to connect other USB peripherals, like MIDI keyboards or USB-powered microphones. If you’re a musician on the road without access to your iPad, this might be your new best solution.
Toasty touchscreen gloves keep you warm and fully connected
Best List: Double Layered Knit Touchscreen Gloves by Mujjo
It’s almost winter, and if you reside in an area with a climate like mine, you know you’ll be carrying gloves with you no matter where you go. When you live someplace like Anchorage, Alaska, even a quick trip outside to the trash bin requires that you cover up.
And yet, we live in a touchscreen world. I have my iPhone with me all the time, and I use it to stay connected to my kids and family members as I move around the winter wonderland. Pulling off a glove every time I want to play a song or answer a text is time-consuming and sometimes dangerous.
If that’s something you worry about, Mujjo’s got you covered, quite literally, with these new double-layered touchscreen gloves.
Wacom’s Bamboo Fineline stylus delivers precision on the cheap
Best List: Bamboo Fineline 1 stylus by Wacom
Wacom is to graphics tablets what Kleenex is to facial tissues, so it’s no surprise that the company knows its way around a stylus. And the original version of the Bamboo Fineline is a great entry point for those looking to start drawing, sketching, and taking notes on their iPads.
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Make your technology a force for musical expression with this digital guitar [Deals]
Computers, tablets, even iPhones have grown into powerful tools for music making, but for many who play guitar the bridge from analog instrument to digital devices can be an intimidating one. The Jamstik Wireless Smart Guitar is a great way to cross the digital divide, a MIDI controlling guitar with frets and strings that feel familiar to any guitarist’s fingers. It’s also cheaper than most keyboard controllers (and certainly guitars), available right now for just $149.99.
Top tools and tips for mastering the modern design landscape [Deals]
The way we use technology to communicate is transforming, and design is changing right along with it. Being caught up with the tools and techniques of web, visual and interactive design is key to being effective in the field of technology, which makes these deals especially exciting and useful.
Power-cutting cord gives your device battery the perfect amount of juice
We know that keeping our smartphones and tablets plugged in over night, well past the point of a full charge, will deplete precious battery life. But who among us purposely gets up in the middle of the night to unplug?
The team at UsBidi assumes very few, which is why its developers believe they have something special with a charging cord that automatically cuts off the power to a device when the battery is full.
Apple released a new product last week that nobody noticed
It’s hard to believe, but there’s one new Apple product that seems to have slipped past media scrutiny during last week’s “Hey Siri” event: a totally new case for the iPad mini.
Jot Dash is the iPad stylus you never knew you needed
SAN FRANCISCO — You’d think stylus maker Adonit would be terrified by rumors that Apple is about to release a plus-size iPad Pro with its very own writing accessory, but nothing could be further from the truth.
According to Ian Shirey, Adonit’s chief strategy officer, facing competition from Apple would be the sweetest vindication of all for his company’s devices. “For Apple to tell the world a stylus is OK would be great,” Shirey said during a visit to the Cult of Mac offices to show off Adonit’s latest creation, the Jot Dash, an midrange stylus that works with iOS and Android devices.
Super-durable leather cable is bad for cows, good for you
It’s usually a question of when, not if, your charging cable is going to start wearing around the point where the cord meets the connector. And maybe you’ll try to make it work for a little while, but sooner or later your denial will wear off and you’re going to have to drop the cash on a new one. And then the whole sad process starts over.
One company is hoping to break the cycle with a leather cable that is not only tough but also aims to be the best-working cord you’ve ever bought.
This device turns your iPhone into a mobile microscope
Humankind is not depending on me to cure some terrible epidemic. That takes the pressure off and lets me have a little fun as I try a device that turns my iPhone into a fairly powerful microscope.
With a clip-on aspheric lens and transmitted light base that weighs only a few ounces, the makers of uHandy Microscope boast of it having a resolution comparable to a traditional microscope that weighs down a lab table in a classroom.
Samples can be magnified and viewed in the field using your smartphone’s camera app to record the image and, of course, an instant ability to share the image with colleagues in other places.