Dig Om

Author Details

Dig Om's picture

Author Details

Dig Om

As Senior Gear Editor at iPhone Life, Dig reports on the latest and greatest accessories built for the iOS ecosystem. From rugged gear and Bluetooth speakers, to headphones, unique iDevice cases, and iOS remote controlled vehicles, Dig's articles cover a wide range of great gear for the iPhone and iPad. A core gamer for over three decades, Dig also writes iPhone Life's Game Centered column, which focuses on the best iOS games and game related news. Additionally, Dig's company, iDoc Tech Support, offers web design and administration services as well as iPhone and iPad repairs. When not at his work desk, Dig loves spending time with family and enjoying the wonders of nature. You can follow him on Twitter @idoctech

Today is the day! iOS 10 is finally available to the public. Sure, I could've signed up for the beta testing program, but I prefer the sheer surprise of a new iOS operating system and all that goes along with the brand new software. By default, as a tech journalist, it's hard to totally block out all news of a new update, but when it come to iOS upgrades, I do my best to do so. For me the experience of a new iOS is akin to the sensation a child experiences on Christmas when they open their gifts, and who doesn't love a surprise come Christmas morning? Will you update your iPhone or iPad to iOS 10? Take the poll at the end of the post and let us know!

As much as I may have held my fingers crossed, wishing and hoping that Apple had somehow managed to keep some secrets stashed away about today's product unveilings, wishing apparently doesn't make it so. Instead, like years past, there was very little (nothing) that surprised me, primarily as a result of the persistent internet leaks that have plagued the company's product launches for years now. That's not to say I wasn't impressed. I was, although only mildly so. Right now Apple is under more pressure and scrutiny than it has been in decades, to innovate and introduce technology that isn't just of a high quality, but also revolutionary. I couldn't help but feel like the new Apple Watch and the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus were just more of the same; relatively minor incremental updates along the lines of what everyone has become so accustomed to. That's certainly not to say that the new Apple Watch Series 2 and the new iPhone 7 series aren't chock full of great features. They are. However none of the new changes and upgrades blew me away or left me in the type of awe that the original iPhone did.

The Focal Listen headphones ($249) belong to a growing sector of premium, yet relatively affordable headphones aimed at the mobile audiophile. Unlike many premium headphones that target the smartphone market, the Listen aren't Bluetooth compatible; but what they lack in modern connectivity alternatives they make up for in comfort, design, and audio quality. Not to mention, many mobile audiophiles will swear that when relying on Bluetooth connectivity you lose audio quality; so the fact that the Listen only offer wired connectivity will be a plus in the eyes of the die-hard audio aficionado.

The iHome mini iBT82 ($49.99), the mid-sized iBT35 ($69.99), and iHome's largest boombox, the iBT9 ($99.99) are three excellent alternatives for those in search of a reliable, affordable, and portable Bluetooth speaker solution. These rugged Bluetooth speakers are part of iHome's Weather Tough line of Bluetooth speakers, all of which are waterproof, shock proof, and dirtproof. They also float, even the biggest of the lot, the iBT9.

You’ve probably heard of the Ōlloclip 4-in-1 lens ($79.99); it's a staff favorite here at iPhone Life. However, you likely haven’t heard of the uniVERSE case system (starting at $49.95) from Otterbox. That's about to change though. I anticipate the uniVERSE case is about to become one of the hottest cases on the market. In an extremely shrewd and far-thinking move, Otterbox has partnered with a number of quality brands to co-create this brand new case that will offer rugged protection for your iPhone, while also allowing for the interconnectivity of numerous add-on accessories.

The EcoXgear Sol Jam Bluetooth speaker ($149.99) is one of my new favorites for best portable Bluetooth speakers. Its most outstanding feature is its revolutionary quick-charge SunCore solar panel built into the device's top side. Thanks to this panel, you can take this speaker off grid for extended periods; and with the panel's intelligent charging system, designed to deliver an effective charge (even in lower-light and artificial-light conditions), you can effectively keep the party going indefinitely without the pressing need to plug into a wall outlet.

It's that time again. From August 8–13 2016 all eyes in the world of eSports were on the KeyArena in Seattle. The annual DotA 2 championship cup isn't only of interest to eSport or MOBA enthusiasts though. Sport trend analysts and mobile game analysts alike were tuned in to this major event as an indicator of emerging markets and evolving trends in the video game business. In a nutshell, video games are a huge business and they are filling professional sports stadiums with spectators eager to watch these digital battles take place live and in-person. It's only a matter of time until a mobile game makes significant in-roads into this rapidly developing sector of the professional sporting world.

If you've got a subscription cable service or a TV package with your internet service provider, then watching the 2016 Olympics in Rio De Janeiro on your iPad or Apple TV will be a snap. The bulk of the Olympics will be broadcast on NBC, with other events being shown on NBC's affiliates, such as *Bravo, *MSNBC, *CNBC and USA Network. Viewing the games is as simple as tuning in, either on your television, or via the free NBC apps for Apple TV, iPad, or iPhone, all of which work in conjunction with your paid subscription service. You can also watch the Olympics at the NBC website; however, by necessity, you have to watch it in a browser, and again, log in to a subscription service is  required. But what about those of us who have happily cut the cord with traditional television providers? Read on to discover all of the alternatives that exist for viewing the 2016 Olympics sans TV subscription service.

Multiplayer Online Battle Arenas make up one of the most popular and also most profitable genres of video games in the world. They are basically virtual capture-the-flag contests in which two teams of players compete to secure target goals and win the game by stealing/destroying the opponent's home base objective. Games like League of Legends and Defense of the Ancients 2 manage to fill sports stadiums with eSports spectators eager to watch the heated battles play out and they offer championship teams some of the largest prize pools of any professional sport, more even than the NFL or pro golf. So it's no wonder than MOBAs are really starting to catch fire on the mobile platform. However, not all mobile MOBA are created equally. Let's take a look at what the App Store has to offer.

Today’s technology has enabled us to report on events as they unfold, and from an intimate, first-person perspective that previously was not possible. Take for instance, the recent shooting of Philando Castile, a Montessori school cafeteria supervisor, who was shot four times at point blank range during a traffic stop with a four-year-old child mere feet away in the backseat. The moments right after this shooting were broadcast live by his girlfriend via smartphone—with remarkable composure I might add—on Facebook Live, the platform's relatively new, live-video-streaming feature. In the video, which immediately went viral, we witnessed, yet again, another young, black man die in front of our eyes—something that's become an all too common occurrence. In fact, with Facebook Live, traditional news outlets not only lost their exclusive lead story, many felt all but compelled to show the nation the raw, unedited footage of a man gasping his last breath, since so many people had already seen the footage.

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