iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear

Review: Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 Earbuds

By Todd Bernhard

Sennheiser is a well-respected headphone and earbud maker, and I've used its wired headphones in the past. So I was happy for the opportunity to try the Momentum True Wireless 2 Earbuds ($299.95) when Sennheiser offered a review unit to test. The Momentum True Wireless earbuds deliver impressive sound thanks to the built-in equalizer and are still remarkably small. Despite the size, they still manage to offer 7 hours of use and 28 total with the charging case.

Kickstarter Review: iVANKY Docking Station for MacBook Pro

By Todd Bernhard

I am always on the lookout for the ideal docking station for my MacBook Pro. I just upgraded from the 15-inch to the 16-inch MacBook Pro and decided it would be a good time to go all out and have two 4K monitors as well. That might have required two different docking stations as it's rare to find one that supports two 4K screens at the same time, but the folks at iVANKY came through with their iVANKY Docking Station (starting at $119). It's on Kickstarter, so the price will go up, but it's still quite attractive and it is a real product, as iVANKY sent me a review unit to try.

Get iPhone Life Insider's Exclusive FaceTime Guide

(Sponsored Post) By Tamlin Day on Sun, 05/24/2020

Since social distancing went into effect for most of the world, FaceTime has become an integral part of our lives. FaceTime is an incredibly powerful tool for connecting with friends and family, but it can be a little tricky to use. That's why we're excited to announce our brand new FaceTime App Guide. Read on to learn how to become an iPhone Life Insider and gain instant access to this powerful guide.

Review: The Impressive Smart Keybox 3 from Igloohome

By Todd Bernhard

The folks at Igloohome have been making smart door locks and lockboxes for a while, and they keep getting better. They sent me their latest, the Smart Keybox 3 ($189) to review and it improves over version 2 in multiple ways. This is not a door lock; it is a lockbox that hangs on a doorknob or gate. The circular keypad is used to unlock the lockbox using a PIN. You can also use the companion app to unlock the box via Bluetooth or generate more PIN codes for construction workers, cleaners, and other folks. It could also be helpful for Airbnb guests or keeping motorboat keys near the pier or a storage shed, etc.

How to Resume a Note or Create a New Note from the iPhone Lock Screen

By Leanne Hays

The Apple Notes app is a convenient way to keep track of lists, ideas, and more. You can choose to start a new note from your Lock screen every time you need to jot something down, or to continue with the last note you were working on. We've already shown you how to write a note directly from your iPhone's Lock screen, and how to organize your notes by transferring them to a folder. Now, let's learn how to set whether to continue a previous note or start a new note when opening Notes from your Lock screen. 

Review: Personalized Leather iPhone Cases from Michael Louis

By Todd Bernhard

When the folks at Michael Louis sent me a Personalized Embossed Leather Cases ($74) to review I thought I was getting special treatment. A leather case with my initials stamped in silver on the back? Pretty cool. Then I realized they offer free personalization to everyone, when ordering online! You can specify up to six characters and even choose emojis and the color. This is a nice touch and will certainly set your phone apart in a crowd.

Review: Logitech Brings Wireless Charging to Mice

By Todd Bernhard

I am spoiled by wireless charging. I want everything to charge simply by putting it down on a flat surface. For example, my remote control, toaster, blender, etc. In fact, I did see a blender that charges wirelessly at the Consumer Electronics Show. Clearly wireless charging will be available for more than just smartphones and AirPods, And now wireless charging is available for gaming mice. Logitech sent me the Powerplay Wireless Charging System Mousepad ($119.99) to try.

iCloud Photos: Why Are My Photos Not Uploading to iCloud from My iPhone?

By Leanne Hays

We've written lots of how-to guides and tips about iCloud photos, including how to upload photos to iCloud and how to download photos from iCloud. But what if something goes wrong, and you can't upload pictures from your iPad or iPhone to your iCloud Photo Library? If you're asking, "why are my photos not uploading?", we'll troubleshoot with you and figure out why your photos are not uploading to iCloud. How do you fix your iCloud issue? Here are six troubleshooting ideas to try; follow them step by step so your photos can upload to the cloud again!

Best Apps for the Entrepreneur: Time & Money Management, Publicity & More

By Kenneth Boshell

I’m back in school for a business degree and just took a course where students run a very small venture using only $20 in startup capital. I chose 3D printing because it was already a hobby of mine, and a bottle of resin was only twenty bucks. I named my company Jax 3D Prints, and it’s done pretty well so far for a side hustle conducted for school. We sell miniatures for things like Dungeons and Dragons and custom parts that are usually more expensive, like washing machine knobs, at reasonable prices.

Review: Mophie Powerstation Plus XL Wireless Offers Lightning & Qi Charging

By Todd Bernhard

I travel a lot and am always looking for the ideal battery pack, and the Mophie Powerstation Plus XL Wireless ($99.95) comes close. The company sent me a review unit to try. There are a few features that set this charging battery apart from the rest. First, it charges via Lightning. This means iPhone owners can carry one less cable. In fact, the second differentiator is that it has a Lightning cable built-in, so you can charge your iPad (not Pro) or iPhone. But you would still need a separate standalone Lightning cable and wall plug to recharge the Powerstation.

Smart Home Security: Minimize the Hassle, Maximize Safety & Privacy

By David Averbach

In 1982, researchers at Carnegie Mellon connected a Coca-Cola vending machine to the internet and created the world’s first smart appliance. The “smart vending machine” could report its inventory and whether or not the drinks were cold. It wasn’t until the rise of smartphones, however, that the so-called internet of things (IoT) became ubiquitous. By the end of last year, there were eight billion IoT devices and that number is projected to grow to 41 billion by 2027, according to Business Insider’s Internet of Things 2020 report.

Review: Affordable Trackeroo AirPods Case Accommodates Most Trackers

By Todd Bernhard

If you're worried about losing your expensive AirPods you will want to connect a Bluetooth tracker to the AirPods case, but there's no practical way to do so. Fortunately, the folks at Trackeroo have developed the simple but brilliant Trackeroo AirPods Case (starting at $6.95). Trackeroo gave me a case to try, but at that price, the company probably paid more for postage sending it to me! It's truly a bargain given that it could save you $150 on a lost set of AirPods!

New 13-Inch MacBook Pro, Virtual WWDC & Group FaceTime

By Donna Cleveland

In the 135th episode, iPhone Life Video Editor Nicholas Naioti joins the show to share tips from the FaceTime video guide he’s been working on for the past month. The team also updates listeners on Apple’s new 13-inch MacBook Pro release and the first online-only Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC)—where we’ll see demos of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14—that will commence June 22nd.

Review: Create Your Own Unique Apple Watch Band with Skinit

By Todd Bernhard

Over the past few years, I have used Skinit for custom adhesive skins and even phone cases, but I recently noticed they also let you create a Custom Apple Watch Band ($45). This is not a sticker, but a faux leather watch band with whatever image you conceive of printed on the surface. I ordered one for Valentine's Day. It was a big hit with my wife and makes for a truly unique present.

WWDC 2020 Apple Keynote: When & How to Watch the Next Apple Event

By Sarah Kingsbury

The next Apple event is the 31st annual Worldwide Developers Conference, where the company will unveil the next versions of iOS 14 and iPadOS 14, the mobile software for iPhones and iPads, and hold online sessions for Apple developers. The developers conference kicks off on June 22 with the WWDC Apple Keynote event, which will live stream on Apple’s website and the WWDC app for Apple TV, iPad, and iPhone. Along with its September iPhone announcement, the WWDC Apple Keynote is one of the biggest Apple events of the year. We'll be offering commentary during the event in our Facebook group and in the special podcast episode we'll be recording right after. Here’s how you can watch the WWDC 2020 Apple Keynote too.

How to Pair & Use a Bluetooth Mouse, Trackpad & Magic Keyboard with Your iPad

By Leanne Hays

Can you use a Bluetooth mouse with an iPad? You can now! We've long been able to use accessories like Bluetooth speakers, headphones, or the Apple Pencil with our iPads, but starting with iPadOS 13, iPad mouse and trackpad support finally arrived in a limited way as an Accessibility feature. Now, with iPadOS 13.4, pairing and using a mouse with your iPad is a fully integrated feature. In even better news, Apple announced a new Magic Keyboard with a trackpad with a cursor for navigating, editing, and gestures. We've already gone over iPad tutorials and tips such as how to take a screenshot on an iPad, how to use an iPad as a second monitor with Sidecar, and even recommendations for the best iPad Pro apps for professionals. Now, let's learn how to pair and use your iPad with a wireless mouse or trackpad.

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