Accessories

I have used Sennheiser wired headsets for years, finding them to be high quality sound and comfort. So I was excited when Sennheiser announced their initial entry into the rapidly crowding market of wireless earbuds.  How could they possibly match the audio and comfort quality they were known for in the wired headset world in the earbud market, especially when even high-end wireless earbuds were prone to subpar audio reproduction and dropouts?  It was with some trepidations that I inserted each earbud and cranked up the tunes to determine if Sennheiser could master the wireless space as well as they had the wired audio experience.  Read on to find out.

Is your AirPods' volume low? AirPods Pro and AirPods volume control can be a bit unintuitive. It's not easy for everyone to figure out how to adjust the volume on AirPods when there are no buttons and no dials! AirPods controls are hidden in Siri commands, AirPod tap controls (some call them AirPods touch controls), and AirPods gestures. There are two Airpods volume control options for increasing and decreasing the volume on your AirPods: One involves using Siri commands to turn your AirPods up or down. The other method allows people to use their iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, or Mac to adjust volume on AirPods and AirPods Pro. We've already written about how to change AirPod settings, and even a full guide of AirPods instructions. If you've been wondering how to work AirPods and AirPods Pro volume control, read on to learn how to make your AirPods louder or lower the volume. 

Bluetooth technology has been around for twenty years, and new and improved Bluetooth devices for iPhone are hitting the market every day. Bluetooth speakers, Bluetooth headsets, Bluetooth keyboards, all of these devices work in essentially the same way; they automatically detect and connect to each other and share information. If you haven't purchased a Bluetooth device or paired one to your iPhone yet, it's time to learn how! Let's get started learning how to connect your iPhone to Bluetooth devices.

Qi charging, wireless charging, inductive charging... whatever you call it, it's fast becoming a must-have feature in the smart phone world. Apple's latest three iPhone offerings, the 8, 8 Plus, and X, are all Qi enabled and can charge their batteries at the wireless charging stations that are popping up everywhere from airports to coffee shops. There's even a free app, Aircharge Qi, that lets iPhone users know where their nearest Qi charging station is! The versatility and convenience offered by electromagnetic charging isn't just for the latest iPhones, though. If you have an older iPhone and want to get on the wireless charging bandwagon, there's more than one way to Qi-enable your pre-iPhone 8 device. Choices include wireless charging cases, and a variety of wireless charging receiver cards, stickers, and patches; and remember, if you're going to buy a Qi-enabling accessory for your device, you'll also need a Qi charging pad. Let's get started going over your options to get wireless charging on your older iPhone.

With the incredible video-processing technology embedded in Apple's latest iPhones, the optics and 4K video capture make them highly capable video cameras. Unfortunately, the most significant limitation of the iPhone's portability is the reliance on its embedded iPhone microphone to capture audio. AmpRidge has addressed this constraint head-on with two external microphones for iPhones. Let's take a closer look at what each iPhone mic has to offer iOS videographers.

There are notable inflection points in technology when a groundswell of a new approach bursts through and rapidly diffuses through the population of digital early adopter enthusiasts. With the advent of Apple's AirPods, truly wireless headphones are the latest innovation manifesting this new approach to wire-free audio consumption. Indeed, I predict that 2018 will be the year that a majority of audio headset manufacturers will offer AirPods alternatives ranging from low to high cost and quality. One of the new companies that is attempting to make a name for itself with this new market opportunity is Stockholm-based Yevo, debuting its Yevo 1 wireless eabuds ($249). Does the Yevo 1 offer a value proposition stronger than Apple's for iOS users looking for an incredible wire-free listening experience? Read on to find out.

If you're asking, "how do I sync Fitbit to Apple Health?" we've got the answer. Syncing your Fitbit or other health and fitness tracker to Apple’s Health app makes it easy to keep all of your general health information in one place on your iPhone. You can integrate your fitness trackers and other health accessories with all of your Health app information to keep a running log of measurements, nutrition, blood pressure, medical records, and much more. Since wearable fitness monitors can track so much data about exercise, sleep, weight and even blood pressure, a connection between your Fitbit, Garmin, Polar, Misfit, Withings, or other wearable tracker to a single Health app makes sense. However, connecting a Fitbit to the Apple Health app requires support from a third-party app.

Apple's HomeKit has made setting up home automation a simple affair. However, some products still require additional hardware bridges and networking knowledge to implement effectively. Koogeek's Smart Light Bulb ($54.99) attempts to solve those headaches by including all the HomeKit connection hardware in the base of the light bulb itself. Read on to find out if this bulb is smarter than all the rest.

This is a roundup of iPad mini 1/2/3 cases, If you have a newer iPhone, check out our roundup of rugged cases for the iPad Air and iPad mini with Retina display. Smaller and more portable than its more cumbersome older siblings, the iPad mini is a device designed to come with us wherever we may wander. As a result of the mini's superior portability, it's also far more likely to be in the line of fire. At such times, a reliable iPad protective case comes in handy to ward off scratches and scrapes. A good, heavy-duty iPad case can make the difference between a catastrophic, life-ending event for your iPad mini and a mere bump in the road. The following are some of the best iPad mini cases available, each with its own unique features and advantages yet all designed to absorb and redirect the potential damage your valuable iPad mini will likely encounter. 

With the warm and sunny days of summer on its way, broadcasting your iTunes music library and podcasts outdoors for yourself and others to enjoy while working in the garden or playing at the beach would be really nice. But unless you have a spare generator to power your portable Bluetooth speakers and have it protected against unexpected water events, such a configuration could prove cumbersome and expensive. Ecoxgear has solved this dilemma with its SolJam HD Solar waterproof Bluetooth wireless speaker ($149.99).

While you're enjoying the great outdoors this Summer, whether at the beach or elsewhere, you’re going to want the loudest portable waterproof Bluetooth speaker you can find. Your Bluetooth speaker needs to be wireless and portable to easily go on adventures with you while also being rugged (ideally waterproof) and as loud as possible so that everyone in your party can enjoy the music. Furthermore, there is a seemingly endless array of excellent quality Bluetooth speakers, however, out of the multitudes of Bluetooth speakers on the market, only a limited and select few can lay claim to being loud, waterproof, portable and heavy duty. I've compiled a list of some of the best, most durable and rugged Bluetooth speakers available right now. What follows are the top outdoor wireless Bluetooth speakers for those who are adventurous or accident prone.

In the Spring 2017 of iPhone Life magazine, I wrote a roundup of HomeKit-compatible home-automation gear, which included Elgato's Eve Room indoor temperature and humidity sensor, its Eve Door & Window wireless contact sensor and the Eve Energy electricity toggle switch. This brief post reviews two more members of the Eve family, the Eve Motion ($49.95) wireless motion sensor and the Eve Weather ($49.95) wireless outdoor sensor.

Sleep deprivation in our always-on, social media-saturated world is a problem that is only growing as we add more tech to our homes. It affects our performance on and off the job and can result in significantly adverse health effects, particularly as we age. I have dealt with my share of sleep issues over the years, due to regularly traveling and working different shifts at my job. Although I don't have any magic-bullet solutions, I can offer what I’ve found to be the most helpful apps, gear, and tips for lulling you to sleep.

After awhile, the Apple lightning cable is bound to fray. Finding the best durable lightning cable for charging your iPhone is a must. Apple switched to lightning cables with the iPhone 5, which means iPhone 6 and iPhone 7 users will be searching for a strong lightning charging cable too. You can get another one from Apple or put that money towards a third-party lightning cable that will be more likely to last a lot longer. We’ll cover the best, most durable lightning cables, the best short lightning cable, and multiple other categories. If you need a new charging cable, this is the roundup for you.

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