iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear
The Wireless Keyboard Apple Should Have Made
Sponsored By iPhone Life on Mon, 02/11/2019
Are you tired of dealing with the low battery life that comes with an Apple wireless keyboard? Do you want to upgrade to the wireless keyboard Apple should have made? If so, check out the Wireless Aluminum Tenkeyless Keyboard by Matias. This sleek and stylish keyboard is ultra-portable, and at only $89.99, it's also ultra-affordable. Read on to learn what makes this keyboard special not just in comparison to Apple but across the market.
Apple’s AirPods: A Guide to Charging, Pairing, Setting Up & More
By Leanne Hays
Got a new pair of AirPods? Once you know how to set up, connect, and configure them, you'll discover why everyone who owns a pair of Apple's wireless earbuds loves them. We're here to help get you started with this AirPods guide, which will cover everything from Siri setting and volume controls, to battery life and charging, and much more. We'll also update this article when the AirPods 2 are released. The AirPods offer crisp, clear sound quality for both listening and speaking through the built-in microphones, as well as a charging case with 24-hour life for easy battery management, and the ability to pair and unpair with many different Apple products. Apple CEO Tim Cook describes AirPods as "practically magic" and explains, "the pairing is seamless, and as someone is talking to you, if you take one out the music will automatically stop, and if you replace it starts again." Let's get started learning how to use your "magical" new AirPods!
Review: Sleep & Wake Better with DOZZI from WITTI Design
By Todd Bernhard
I have used and reviewed several items from WITTI Design in the past. The company has a number of clock radios that integrate with smart homes via smart buttons and charge your phone and have attractive colored lights to help you wake up more gradually. Waking up is one thing, but falling and staying asleep is also important, especially since my wife tells me I snore! I was excited to try the DOZZI Natural White Noise Machine ($29.99) when WITTI sent it to me.
Hands On with the iPhone XS Max: Why You Won’t Want to Put It Down
By Mike Riley
Revolution followed by evolution—that’s the pattern Apple follows for its flagship iPhone line. Last year’s release revolutionized the iPhone with the X’s edge-to-edge OLED display and facial recognition. This year’s iPhone XS and XS Max (which costs anywhere from $1,000 to $1,449 depending on storage capacity) is an evolution of the iPhone X with a bigger display (if you get the Max) and better processor. But do these evolutionary steps warrant a one-thousand-dollar purchase? It depends.
How to Truly Set Do Not Disturb So That Not a Single Call or Text Gets Through
By Hallei Halter
Sometimes Do Not Disturb will still let messages and calls through in certain circumstances depending on your Do Not Disturb settings. Want to use your phone without receiving ANY notifications and calls? Here's the best way to set Do Not Disturb so your phone won't go off for any reason. I use it for when I'm listening to podcasts or just trying to get some work done.
Review: The Mophie Powerstation PD Delivers High Speed Power & Flexibility
By Todd Bernhard
If you're like me, you hear the name Mophie and think of its iPhone cases with built-in batteries. So I was intrigued when the company sent me the powerstation PD (starting at $59.95). These are standalone power packs, about the size of a deck of cards, that have both USB-A and USB-C ports. The pack itself is charged via USB-C to USB-C (cable included) but you'll need your own A/C brick or a laptop with a USB-C connector. They also shipped me a USB-C to Lightning cable, so you may want to add one of those, especially because the iPhone will charge much faster when the source is a USB-C device like the Mophie powerstation.
iPad Pro In-Depth Review: Is It the Laptop Replacement Apple Promised?
By David Averbach
The iPad is a difficult product to review, because in order to assess its effectiveness you have to first understand what the product is supposed to accomplish. Defining the purpose of Apple’s new iPad Pro is surprisingly complicated. I’ve been using mine for longer than a month now, and while it’s undeniably an amazing device, whether it lives up to all the hype depends on whose standards you’re looking at. Based on the late Steve Jobs’ original intent of what an iPad should be, the iPad Pro is an incredible device that is the fruition of the last eight years of development. But based on Apple CEO Tim Cook’s description at last October’s keynote of what the iPad Pro should be, the tablet is a flawed device that doesn’t live up to expectations. Allow me to explain.
How to Set Up Your New HomePod
By Tamlin Day
Review: The Reolink Go Security Cam for Remote Locations
By Todd Bernhard
There's a crowded market of Wi-Fi based security cameras, but Reolink has an interesting twist. The company sent me the Reolink Go ($249.99+) with the caveat that I'd have to set it up on a phone plan. That's because the Go model supports 4G LTE-based connectivity instead of Wi-Fi. Fortunately, T-Mobile (and others) have simple micro SIM-based plans for such devices.
How to Get Followers on Instagram: How I Grew from Zero to 100K in 2 Years
By Meara Oberdieck
New York City-based curve model Meara has leveraged her following to get free products, pay half of her bills every month, and even book national modeling campaigns. Instagram is the fastest growing social network, with more than one-seventh of the global population using it actively every month. That’s a lot of potential. Whether you have a business, a product, or you want to promote yourself creatively like I do, this app is one of the best and most efficient ways to grow a fan base. I’ve leveraged my following to get free products, pay half of my bills every month, and even book national modeling campaigns. I’m a huge fan of the app, and with a bit of discipline and dedication, I think you will be too.
Got a New iPhone? Here's How to Set Up Your Device
By Tamlin Day
There's nothing quite like that moment when you open an Apple box and see your fresh new iPhone for the first time, but what comes next? In this article, we'll teach you how to set up a new iPhone with a new Apple ID or with an existing Apple ID and data from an older device. Whether you're a first-time user or upgrading your current iPhone to a new device, we've got you covered. Read on to learn how to transfer data from an existing device, restore your settings from iCloud, or create your very first Apple ID for your brand new iPhone.
How to Reply to Notifications from Your iPhone's Lock Screen
By Leanne Hays
With the latest iOS update, you can do more with your iPhone even before unlocking it. Here's how to respond to your notifications directly from the Lock screen. For iPhone 6s or later, you'll use 3D Touch. For the iPhone XR, you'll just use long press or swipe and tap.
App Saturday: Google Chrome
By Hallei Halter
Considering options for a web browsing alternative to Safari on your iPhone or iPad? Google Chrome is a fast web browser app that can quickly load pages and has loads of features you can easily learn to take advantage of. With so much to offer, here's why Google Chrome is one of our top choices.
Insider Walkthrough: Get a Sneak Peek of Member-Only Benefits
By Donna Cleveland
Check out our iPhone Life Insider walkthrough workshop. In this workshop, iPhone Life CEO David and editor-in-chief Donna Cleveland give you a sneak peek of all the member-only content you get when you purchase a subscription to iPhone Life Insider.
How to Flip the Rear & Front Camera During A FaceTime Call
By Hallei Halter
FaceTime video calls automatically use the front view camera. Here's how to flip the camera from front to rear view during a FaceTime call. It's helpful for showing the other person a quick house tour, the odd sleeping position your cat is in, or anything that's not directly next to you.
Three Easy Ways to Reboot Your Apple TV
By Hallei Halter
Occasionally your Apple TV may freeze, or otherwise start glitching, and need a restart. The Apple TV doesn't have a power button, but you can still restart it. Here are three easy ways to reboot your Apple TV.
iOS 13 Rumors & the New Features We’re Hoping for
By Sarah Kingsbury
In episode 103, David, Sarah, and Donna discuss the latest rumors and predictions for Apple’s next big software release for the iPhone and iPad. The team also shares the features that listeners are crossing their fingers for.