I picked up the Smart Folio Keyboard for my iPad Pro a few weeks back, because I was traveling and needed to do some work on the go. I’ve avoided the expensive accessory in the past, because a regular Bluetooth keyboard is so much better — on paper anyway. Even the most basic Bluetooth keyboard offers far more essential features than Apple’s own keyboard case. But after trying the Apple keyboard, I like it a lot. The keys themselves are still awful, but the convenience factor is off the charts.
Doqo turns iPad Pro into MacBook with 7 ports [Review]
Anyone who longs for the days when MacBooks came with tons of ports can look to the Doqo, an iPad Pro keyboard case that includes a pair of USB-A ports, HDMI, memory card readers, and more. There’s also a trackpad and full-size keyboard. This could be the touchscreen laptop you’ve been hoping for.
I’ve extensively used the Doqo keyboard with a 12.9-inch iPad Pro, and explore its advantages and problems in this review.
Doqo iPad Pro keyboard with trackpad also offers 7-port hub
Doqo is an upcoming USB-C keyboard for the iPad Pro with a MacBook-sized trackpad, a 7-in-1 hub, and a built-in battery.
It’s one of several clip-on keyboards that promise to give Apple’s professional tablets many of the same features as a MacBook.
Pick the perfect Bluetooth keyboard for your phone or tablet [Deals]
Being attached to our computers doesn’t have to mean literally being attached. Whether for phones or tablets, a portable wireless keyboard offers tons of extra flexibility and accuracy.
That’s exactly what you’ll find in these four great deals on our favorite Bluetooth keyboards. Each is already significantly discounted, but using the promo code MERRYSAVE15 at checkout takes an extra 15% off.
Space-saving USB-C docking stand sports a whopping 11 ports [Review]
Forget your frustrations with the minimal number of ports on your MacBook or iPad Pro. The Brando 11-In-1 Hub Type-C Docking Stand lets you connect virtually any peripheral to your computer. There’s a trio of USB-A ports, Ethernet, HDMI and an SD card reader. And that’s only the start.
Get the full list, and see how well this multi-port stands up to real world use, in this review.
RAVpower travel router also connects iPhones to hard drives and SD cards [Review]
Life on the road can be a hassle, even with an iPhone, but there’s a lot the RAVpower FileHub Travel Router can do to make it easier. It’s a battery, a hub with a USB port and SD card reader, and (naturally) a travel router.
I road tested every feature of this accessory. Read on to see if it deserves a place in your travel kit.
Pick up great Apple accessories and gear for less than $15 [Deals]
Upgrading your digital gear doesn’t have to mean draining your wallet. For proof, check out these five deals on accessories for under $15. They include camera covers, Lightning cables, iPhone cases and more.
This is the affordable Apple Pencil rival you’ve been looking for [Review]
Adonit Note+ is a pressure-sensitive iPad stylus that stands up well in a head-to-head competition with Apple Pencil, and even beats it in some areas. It offers tilt detection and pressure sensitivity, as well as shortcut buttons. All at a price definitely lower than Apple’s stylus.
We used this Apple Pencil alternative for both writing and drawing — read our Adonit Note+ review to see how it handles in real-world use.
You might never get to buy this amazing iPad keyboard [Review]
The Sentis Libra gives an iPad Pro a keyboard and trackpad, allowing it to act as both a tablet and a laptop — something no MacBook can do.
However, rival keyboard maker Brydge accuses Sentis of using its patented design. Cult of Mac has both a Libra prototype and the most recent Brydge Pro, and we compare the two and let everyone judge whether the accusations made against this device stand up.
The Libra is undoubtedly great, including a highly-functional trackpad. So the real question is, who deserves credit for the design?
Adonit Note+ does nearly as much as Apple Pencil but costs far less
Adonit’s second-generation iPad stylus offers many features not in the original, including including tilt detection and pressure sensitivity. The Note+ also adds shortcut buttons for quick access to erase, redo, or other functions.
It has nearly the same feature set as the Apple Pencil while costing significantly less.
New iRig audio gadgets for iPhone-toting podcasters and YouTubers
A new batch of iRig accessories from IK Multimedia should make life easier for podcasters and YouTubers who produce on their iPads or iPhones. The gear looks pretty sweet, and — if my experience is anything to go by — it should be well-built, and sound great, too.
Let’s take a look at the new IK Multimedia gadgets.
Brydge plans iPad keyboard case with trackpad, slaps patent lawsuit on rival
Brydge today pre-announced a clip-on iPad Pro keyboard that incorporates a trackpad, something that only became possible with the just-released iPadOS 13. This would create a computer like a MacBook with a removable touchscreen.
It’s not the first such accessory to be unveiled, but Brydge is bringing a patent-infringement lawsuit against a company that last month launched a Kickstarter campaign for a similar iPad keyboard case with trackpad.
New Tile Sticker will help you find anything [Review]
Anyone who’s ever spent a half hour searching for the TV remote can understand the appeal of the Tile Sticker. Glue it to anything relatively flat and you’ll never misplace that item again, as your iPhone can have this tiny tag play a loud alarm. Or put one on the headphones you can never find, or maybe the back of your ID badge.
There are also improved versions of the Tile Pro, Tile Mate and Tile Slim out today to help with finding your keys or wallet. Just don’t get lost in our reviews of all four new item trackers.
Proposed iPad Pro docking station packs keyboard, trackpad, ports into one
DoBox is looking for funding for a desktop docking station that gives the 2018 iPad Pro an array of additional features. A keyboard and trackpad are the most obvious, but there’s also a built in hub with HDMI and other ports.
On top of all that, the proposed DoBox Pro will have a slot capable of adding up 2TB of additional storage.
First iPad Pro keyboard case with trackpad hopes to launch this winter
Libra is angling to be the first-out-of-the-gate iPad Pro case that includes not only a keyboard but also a trackpad. This wasn’t possible before, but the just-released iPadOS adds support for mice and trackpads.
The designers are looking for backing on Kickstarter to defray the costs of developing an accessory that lets an iPad mimic a MacBook more closely than any before.
Brydge keyboard turns 10.2-inch iPad into a laptop
The Brydge line of premium keyboards is extending to the just-announced seventh-generation iPad — the first with a 10.2-inch screen.
The high-grade aluminum casing of the Brydge 10.2 is designed to convert the tablet into a laptop similar to a small MacBook.
Best iPad Pro keyboard cases for people on the go [Reviews]
Add a keyboard to your iPad Pro and it becomes a powerful but extremely portable laptop. So many people see the potential that companies make an array of keyboard cases. The range of designs gives buyers choices depending on what they want most: portability, protection, price, etc.
We’ve tested plenty of them; here are our picks for the best available.
Sleek stand transforms iPads and iPhones into desktop devices [Deals]
For many, our mobile devices are part of the daily workflow. We keep our computer screens for the sake of our necks and eyes, but mobile devices hold our attention no less than our laptop or desktop screens. So why shouldn’t they also get their own stands for ideal viewing angle and screen access?
myCharge battery sports built-in Lightning and USB-C cables [Review]
Hands up if this ever happens to you: you remembered your iPhone or iPad and an external battery but forgot the charging cable. That frustration isn’t possible with the myCharge HubMax Universal as it has both a Lightning and a USB-C cable built in. Even better, this 10050 mAh battery has a pair of wall prongs so it can plug straight into a socket.
Go on the road with me as I put the HubMax Universal through its paces.
Uniq iPhone battery is also wireless charger and phone stand [Review]
The Uniq HydeAir isn’t your standard 10,000mAh external battery. Beyond USB-A and USB-C ports, it also lets you enjoy the benefits of wireless charging when traveling. And it even has a built-in stand for your phone.
Charge into our hands-on review to discover if HydeAir is right for you.
Kanex adapter makes using wired headphones with iPad Pro a snap [Review]
The 2018 iPad Pro has no room for a headphone jack, but Kanex makes a USB-C adapter that includes the 3.5mm audio port needed for standard headphones or speakers.
We tested this handy accessory with Apple’s pro tablet, so don’t miss our review.
LG’s latest UltraFine 4K monitor is two big steps forward, half a step back [Review]
The LG UltraFine 4K comes with a recommendation from Apple, and it’s not hard to see why: this 23.7-inch monitor was designed to work well with recent Mac models, and even the latest iPad Pro. There are several welcome enhancements in this latest version, but one change is less positive.
We went hands-on with this beautiful, $699.95 display so don’t miss our review.
Adonit Note is the affordable stylus your iPad needs [Review]
More than artists want to draw on their iPad, and Adonit has just introduced a stylus for the rest of us. This lightweight accessory offers most of the features of the Apple Pencil, while costing far, far less.
We fully tested the Adonit Note iPad stylus, so be sure to read our review.
UAG Scout brings serious drop protection to iPad Pro with Apple keyboard [Review]
Some third-party case makers have begun treating the iPad Pro with a Smart Keyboard Folio attached as a single device. Urban Armor Gear is the latest to introduce a lightweight protective case that goes around both, adding drop protection and an Apple Pencil holder.
Don’t miss our hands-on review of the UAG Scout Series, which is available for the most recent 12.9- and 11-inch iPad Pro.
Update April 27, 2020: UAG released a version of the Scout modified for the larger camera hump in the 2020 iPad Pro.
Your summer pool party needs Urbanears’ portable Bluetooth speaker [Review]
No outdoor party is complete without music, and that requires a sound system that can be heard over plenty of other noise. The new Rålis from Urbanears delivers more than just the necessary volume: it sounds outstanding.
Check out our review of this high-end portable speaker.