iPhone

If you find that a podcast is playing too fast on your iPhone, you might need to adjust the playback speed. Podcasts are perfect for listening to while completing a task, whether that be cooking dinner or driving home from work in bumper-to-bumper traffic. The length of podcasts varies hugely from a few minutes to a couple hours. But what if you don’t have a couple hours but you also really want to listen to that podcast you love? Speed it up.  Or, if you find yourself asking, "Why is my Podcast app playing so fast?" slow it down. Here’s how to change the playback speed of a podcast.

Over the past dozen or so years, I have reviewed hundreds if not thousands of products. One of my favorite aspects of this is when a product I previously reviewed gets better and I get a chance to cover the newer version. I also appreciate multi-function devices. I have so many gadgets already so the more functions a single device can perform, the better, as long as there are no compromises. This is the case with Pitaka's Air Omni (starting at $119). While it is available on Kickstarter, and I hesitate to recommend crowdfunded projects because of the uncertainty, Pitaka is a well-established, longtime Apple accessory maker and this product is real, as Pitaka sent me a review unit to try.

With the continued success of YouTube, Twitch, and other user-generated-content video-streaming services, an opportunity for anyone with a captivating presence and good communication skills is available. But just like the days of the California Gold Rush, those with better tools often (but not always) have a better chance to strike it rich. In today's internet streaming boom, those better tools equate to the high-quality camera optics, noise-free audio recording, and exceptional lighting necessary to capture those captivating mobile moments. Joby has assembled a package equivalent to the prospector's mule, shovel, and pan. Will the compilation of equipment the company assembled into a single kit, aptly called the Joby GorillaPod Mobile Vlogging Kit ($199.95), help deliver vlogging gold? Read on to find out.

I'm always looking for the perfect wireless charging accessory, and with so many gadgets to charge, one thing I look for is the smallest footprint possible. Fortunately, Moshi sent me the SnapTo Magnetic Wireless Charger $49.95) to try, and it offers something impressive, no footprint. That's because it uses a combination of magnets to keep your phone in contact with the rubberized charging pad, plus an optional swiveling wall-mount that attaches via the included 3M adhesive strips.

I know the latest iPhones are water-resistant thanks to their IP68 rating, but I don't trust them. Besides, if you're on the lake or ocean and your phone ends up in the water, it won't float! Fortunately, I found the H2O Proof Floating Phone Holder (starting at $9.99) from WOW Watersports. These are the same folks who made the waterproof floating speaker I reviewed.

The current panic about the novel coronavirus causing the COVID-19 outbreak has made us all a little more conscious about bacteria, viruses, and germs in general. While you're busy house cleaning and washing your hands to prevent disease and kill germs, remember to disinfect and sanitize your Apple devices, including your iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, AirPods, EarPods, Mac, and even your Apple TV remote. Whether or not you ever come in contact with the coronavirus, studies have shown that our phones are downright filthy. A University of Arizona study shows that the average cell phone carries ten times more germs than a toilet. Ew. Bacteria found on iPhones include Streptococcus, MERS, and E. Coli, and viruses can linger on your smartphone as well. If this news leaves you wondering how to clean your phone and other Apple devices, this article will fill you in on all the methods to disinfect or sterilize them all without damaging them. Let's get started.

I always keep my iPhones in a case, and I've never broken a phone. And increasingly, the case I use comes from Catalyst. At this year's CES, Catalyst gave me an Impact Protection Case ($39.99) to try with my iPhone 11. In the past, I've alternated between the case company's waterproof versions and its regular ones, and they all have the same rigid perimeter that protects all along the edges, including where the Lightning port and speakers are. In addition, the new Impact case has a wide opening for the different cameras and flash in the latest iPhone 11 series. The Catalyst Waterproof Case for iPhone 11 ($89.99) adds a hard-coated optical lens so you can take underwater photos and videos while still having protection!

I like it when products do double or even triple duty. The less I have to clutter my desk or travel bag with, the better. The team at RapidX agrees and sent me their MyPort ($79.99) to try. It's a 10,000 mAh portable battery pack, which is enough to charge an iPhone several times, or you can charge a couple of items thanks to the USB-A and USB-C port and built-in Qi wireless charging pad.

I am always on the lookout for ways to my iPhone's boost battery life. The folks at Eggtronic sent me their Wireless Power Popper - Ring ($39.99) to try. This portable iPhone charger has a lot to offer. First, it's lightweight, soft, and compact. That's important because Eggtronic designed it to attach the back of your Qi-enabled smartphone. Second, the wireless charging bank comes with your choice of grip: the Power Ring, a 360-degree rotatable ring, or the PopSocket-style Power Popper; you just have to decide which you prefer when you order. You can also choose from assorted colors for the fabric exterior.

Have you ever taken a photo that would be perfect if the top of Grandma's head wasn't cut out of the frame? The iPhone 11, 11 Pro, and 11 Pro Max have a feature called Capture Content Outside Frame that captures details outside the standard 4:3 frame and saves them for 30 days in case you decide to adjust the framing of the image. By default, your iPhone 11 and other new models come with the feature disabled. Let’s dive in with how to adjust your Camera settings so you can use the extra content to fix poorly framed photos after the fact.

iOS 13 has a whole slew of new editing tools for you to explore—from auto editing, to vibrance, to color saturation, to photo cropping. And with the new features of the dual camera on the iPhone 11 and 11 Pro, including the Ultra Wide camera, Night Mode, an upgraded Portrait Mode, Smart HDR, Quick Take videos, and slow-motion selfies (a.k.a. slofies), you will never want to stop taking photos and videos! If you want to take your photo editing skills to the next level, check out these photo apps that will enhance your shots.

In every issue of iPhone Life magazine, we feature the iPhone Home screens of people from different walks of life, so our readers can see how they use iPhone apps to meet a variety of needs. In our Spring 2020 issue, we featured photographer and blogger Amber Faust, who uses her iPhone for social media, photo editing, games, weather, and more. If you have a story and apps you'd like to suggest, email Tamlin Day, and we may feature you in an upcoming issue of the magazine!

Did you know you can use Siri without talking? You can type to Siri instead. Typing to talk to Siri is ideal for quiet settings or in very loud public places. You can even set up Siri to respond by text when your ringer is turned off. This is great, because it means you can use Siri anytime. You’ll still be able to say, “Hey, Siri,” and speak, but you’ll also have the option to activate Siri without voice and type instead! Here’s how to enable Type to Siri on the iPhone. You can also use this tip to get rid of Type to Siri if you've been wondering why you have to type for Siri when you activate the digital assistant using the Side button.

In every issue of iPhone Life magazine, we feature the iPhone Home screens of people from different walks of life, so our readers can see how they use iPhone apps to meet a variety of needs. In our Spring 2020 issue, we featured fashion designer and blogger Louisa Moje, who uses her iPhone apps for photo editing, social media posting, meal planning, personal finance, and more. If you have a story and apps you'd like to suggest, email Tamlin Day, and we may feature you in an upcoming issue of the magazine!

If you love hiking in the mountains, camping and fishing at a favorite lake, or just going for a walk in the woods, you likely already know that time in nature does a world of good for both physical and mental health. Researchers at the University of East Anglia performed a meta-analysis of more than 140 studies completed in 20 countries that objectively confirms these subjective impressions. Exposure to wild spaces reduces the production of stress hormones, lowers pulse rate and blood pressure, decreases sleep disturbances, and increases happiness, well-being, and even creativity. For many people, spending time in the great outdoors, whether for an afternoon or weeks at a time, means a break from technology. But there are so many practical benefits of having your phone with you! So before you escape to the woods to eat roots and berries and forget human speech, think about adding some of this essential camping gear and equipment to your packing list. While you're at it, check out our collection of travel, hiking, plant identification, and bird apps.

You may have tried PopSockets phone grips and stands, but the folks at Ohsnap think they have build a better mousetrap. There are indeed advantages to the Ohsnap Phone Grip (starting at $19), which Ohsnap gave me to try. First, it's slim and gets even slimmer by sliding out so you can wirelessly charge your smartphone when the Ohsnap is removed. It's also magnetic so you can easily mount your phone on refrigerators or other metal (not aluminum) surfaces.

My family has three Apple Watches and four iPhones, so anytime I can find a device that charges both, I'm happy. The folks at The Grommet sent me the Time Traveler iPhone & Apple Watch Battery Bank​ ($79.95) to try and it does that and more. The Time Traveler has a built-in charging pad for an Apple Watch. You don't need to provide your own so that's a cost and convenience bonus. There is also a built-in Lightning cable that tucks away under the unit, so you don't have to bring a Lightning cable either!

I recently reviewed the SmartCine Complete Universal Smartphone Kit. It's a handheld mount that holds a smartphone in place for use in videography. I was intrigued to see how the "complete" kit could get better when Movo sent me its SmartCine Wireless All-in-One Video Kit ($149.95) to try. It turns out there was quite a bit more that could be added. First, Movo added a wireless lavalier microphone option. When combined with an added telephoto lens, this makes it easy to record a distant subject while keeping them in the picture. The kit has a convenient headphone jack as well to check audio levels. Make sure you have your own Lightning to 3.5mm audio converter to accept the output of the wireless receiver.

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