The iHome iPLWBT5 Docking Clock Radio ($129.99) could really eliminate some of the clutter on your nightstand. It's a clock radio, which iHome has been making for years, but it also doubles as a dual charging dock for your iPhone 7 and Apple Watch. There's a Lightning dock on the top, which should accommodate most cases except really protective ones. For iPhones in protective cases or an iPad, there's a USB port so you can charge a device via your own Lightning cable. Finally, sitting on the side is an Apple Watch magnetic charging base.
iPhone
Best Board Game Apps for iPad: TreasureHunter Review
By Mike Riley
TreasureHunter ($4.99) is a iOS board game conversion of the identically named, mildly popular board game released in 2015. This card game was created by legendary game designer Richard Garfield (the creator of the wildly popular Magic the Gathering trading card game). The conversion to iPad board game app was done by the game's Germany-based publisher Queen Games, a company that has had a somewhat mediocre track record digitally converting its other physical board games such as Alhambra and Kingdom Builder to iOS board games. Does TreasureHunter rise above those previous efforts? Read on to find out.
iPhone and iPad word processors are nearly as plentiful on the App Store as flashlight apps. In order to stand out from the crowded selection, developers need to offer products that meet a specific need. In the case of prose composition, one word processing app that enables the narrative (e.g. story and screenwriting) and article construction and evolution process is Scrivener ($19.99). Originally available only for the Mac, Scrivener has recently made the leap to the iOS platform. How does it fare on both? Read on to find out.
The Amazon Kindle app is available for free for just about any and every device you can think of. That means not only can you read your e-books on a Kindle, but also on your iPhone, iPad, or MacBook as well. Adding a device to your Amazon account is as simple as downloading the app and logging in with your Amazon account email and password. But what about when you get a new iPhone or buy a different Kindle? As you upgrade devices, the old devices will remain on your Amazon Kindle Account, which can lead to e-book samples accidentally being sent to the wrong device, unless you delete the device, a.k.a., deregister it. Here’s how to delete an old iPhone, iPad, or other device from your Amazon account on iPhone.
If you are on the hunt for a powerful outdoor Bluetooth wireless speaker, one that can pump out massive volume and is also well-equipped to handle extreme environments, then the following head-to-head review of these two behemoths will be for you. I'm putting two of the best modern Bluetooth boomboxes to the test, to see which one of them fares the best.
Best iOS Games for Hardcore Gamers
By Dig Om
Over the decades, I've heard some call iOS gaming escapism, while others may call it a distraction from the headline news on any given day; but as a lifetime core gamer, I've found myself extremely grateful on more than one occasion for the comfort, the exhilaration, the competition ,and the break from the day-to-day, real-world ups and downs that some of the more deeply immersive iOS game can provide. Mobile gaming has come a long way over the years and we now have plenty to choose from when it comes to core iOS games. On that note, it's my pleasure to present iPhone Life's picks for best core iOS games.
How to Jump Into Apps with 3D Touch on iPhone
By Conner Carey
3D Touch on iPhone 7, 7 Plus, 6s, and 6s Plus allows you to jump into a specific place within an app using Quick Actions. This is done from Home screen by 3D Touching an app icon. Options for jumping into the app will pop up and you can select one. For example, the Settings app has Quick Actions for jumping to the settings for Wi-Fi, Battery, Bluetooth, and Cellular Data. Here’s how to jump into apps with 3D Touch on iPhone.
There’s no better time to slow down and evaluate your goals than around the New Year. New Year’s Resolutions have started to get a bad rep, because often people set their goals too high and don’t have practical steps towards the goal or a support system to help them get there. Technology offers a unique realm of possibilities when it comes to sticking to our New Year’s Resolutions. Regardless of your goal, there’s an app that can help you keep your New Year’s Resolution, somewhere in the App Store. Having apps on your iPhone help by offering both practical steps and support towards achieving and maintaining your goals. That’s why I wanted to put this list together; if you’re wondering how to keep your New Year’s Resolution for 2017, here’s the best apps to help you stay consistent.
Jade Empire Special Edition Review
By Mike Riley
The original console-based version of Jade Empire scored an 89 on Metacritic, a remarkably high score for a game. The follow-up Special Edition for PC released a few years later scored an 81 which is still admirable. Since the actual game's story, interface, and gameplay mechanics in this iOS version of Jade Empire: Special Edition ($9.99) are identical to original game, I won't spend much time on going into those aspects of this conversion. For those interested in a review of the core gameplay experience, there are a number of reviews for the game already on the web such as this one from Gamespot.
PCalc: Is It Really the Best Calculator App?
By Mike Riley
The calculator app that comes bundled in iOS is adequate for basic, quick calculations, but it lacks even a simple memory function or running history of operations. Hundreds of alternative calculator apps, both free and paid, are available from the App Store. But when you want the best, the absolute top of the category, PCalc ($9.99) from TLA Systems claims that it's the one to beat. Let's find out if that's the case.
I have seen the future of online mobile gaming, and it is MOBA. Multiplayer Online Battle Arena is a term familiar to any core, hardcore, or professional gamer. If it's not already a common term in your vocabulary, popular iOS MOBA titles like Vainglory and Ace of Arenas plan to change that, as they help usher in a new renaissance of mobile gaming.
Best Tech Gifts Under $100 You’ll Love This Holiday Season
By Conner Carey
Who doesn’t like getting cool technology gifts? A hundred dollars in tech gifts goes a lot further than it used to. Whether you’re looking for fun tech gifts to give this Christmas, Hanukkah, or another holiday— we’ve got you covered with our gift guide to tech under $100. Filled to the brim with great gift ideas, we’ll cover everything from headphones and wearables to cases and e-readers. There’s a lot to choose from on a tight budget. Here’s the best tech gadgets and gifts under $100 to get your favorite people this holiday season.
With the elimination of the headphone jack, Apple has effectively thrown its full weight behind Bluetooth technology. After years of being considered a faulty and glitchy transfer medium, Bluetooth has finally come into its own after years of refinement and technological advancement. The quality of playback that a Bluetooth speaker can pump out can easily be CD quality, depending of course on the source. Certainly it's been consistent and of a high enough caliber to fool die-hard audiophiles in blind acoustic tests. The following speakers are all top of the line Bluetooth speakers, each with its own merits and unique characteristics.
How to Share Fitness Metrics with Friends in Activity App
By Conner Carey
WatchOS 3 on Apple Watch along with iOS 10 on iPhone allows you to share your fitness metrics (and activity circles) with friends in the Activity app. Since the spirit of competition is a motivating factor for lots of people, this allows you to compete with your friends, attempt to keep up, and ultimately surpass them. When you want to share your fitness metrics with someone, you must send an invite to them. Once they accept, you’ll see their fitness metrics and in turn, they’ll see yours. Here’s how to share fitness metrics with friends in the Activity app.
How to Quickly Rename a Folder with 3D Touch on iPhone
By Conner Carey
With iOS 10, Apple added more functions for 3D Touch. One of the things you can do with 3D Touch in iOS 10 is quickly rename an app folder on your Home screen. Usually, you have to open a folder, tap and hold the title, and then type in your new app folder name. But with 3D Touch, you can simply 3D Touch the app folder icon, tap Rename, and enter the new name. Here’s how to quickly rename a folder with 3D Touch on iPhone.
Black Friday falls on November 25 this year; it’s the perfect time to save money on tech gifts for the holidays. Whether you’re looking for Black Friday iPad deals or Amazon gadgets, there’s plenty of Black Friday specials to go around. Target, in particular, has some of the best Black Friday deals this year, with Best Buy and Walmart tying for second. Amazon will feature its Echo at a great deal and cut back on tablet prices for Black Friday too. From iPhone and iPads to Apple Watches and the Amazon Echo, here’s the best deals you can expect on tech for Black Friday 2016.
How to Sort Songs By Title in Apple Music with iOS 10
By Conner Carey
Did anyone else upgrade to iOS 10, visit their songs on Apple Music, and ask, “What happened? What are my song arranged by artist on my iPhone?” I threw up my hands and decided to get used to it, but one of our editors, Rheanne, came in my office today with a solution. And it’s super easy. If you’re not a fan of sorting songs by artist in Apple Music, you can change it back to the pre-iOS 10 state. Before iOS 10, songs were automatically sorted by title. With the upgrade, sorting songs on Apple Music suddenly changed; now you can change it back. Here’s how to sort songs by title on Apple Music with iOS 10.
How to Change Your Default Transportation Mode in Maps
By Conner Carey
Maps on iPhone assumes you want directions for a car by default. But if you often use public transportation or walk, you may want to change your default transportation mode for Maps. Changing your default transportation mode for Maps is easy within iPhone settings. That way, when you open Maps and select a route, you’ll automatically see the directions and estimated travel time for the mode of transportation you plan to use. Here’s how to change your default transportation mode in Maps.
How to Prioritize App Update Downloads with 3D Touch on iOS 10
By Conner Carey
One of the things you can do to save your iPhone battery is to turn off automatic app updates. However, doing so means your app updates pile up and eventually you have to update them all, usually at the same time. Let’s say you’re updating ten apps, but one of those apps is Facebook Messenger and you need to reply to a friend’s message as soon as possible—you can use 3D Touch to prioritize that app’s update before the others. Here’s how to prioritize app update downloads with 3D Touch.
If you have the iPhone 7 or 7 Plus, you’ve probably asked what the heck is haptic feedback? In short, it’s a vibration used to let the user know a button has been pressed. In the case of the iPhone 7, the Home Button uses haptic feedback to let you know you’ve pressed the button to unlock your iPhone, activate Siri, or what have you. You can change the “click” you feel in the iPhone Home Button settings. The haptic feedback on iPhone used in the Home Button has three different options to choose from. Here’s how to customize Home Button haptic feedback with iPhone 7 or 7 Plus.