Accessories

Much has been written about the next iPhones, both the high-end iPhone 7 and a rumored low-end iPhone 5se, but Apple's next product announcement could very well include updates to the iPad product line. The iPad Pro was introduced several months ago along with the Apple Pencil, but the iPad Air 2 didn't get any attention. Now, if rumors based on a Chinese case manufacturer are to be believed, there will be an iPad Air 3 with some of the features from the iPad Pro.

Funded last year on Kickstarter, the Scio ($249) by Consumer Physics will make you feel like you’re on a starship with Captain Picard. This handheld device, about the size of a keychain, emits a blue light that is able to tell you the chemical makeup of an item. It can scan food, plants, medicine, and more. For example, it can tell you the fats, protein, and calories of your meal, the ripeness of an avocado, and whether or not the pill you’re about to take is in fact aspirin.

With apps like Google Cardboard (free), virtual reality is becoming increasingly available to the average person with a smartphone. I just ordered my first virtual reality headset last night. It was a very affordable $20 with shipping, because it’s made of cardboard. How cool is that. There’s even instructions on how to make your own, if you want to go the extra mile. Lots of VR apps work with Google Cardboard, just search VR in the App Store to see what’s available so far. There is starting to be quite a diversity of options on the marketplace so here’s my top five VR headsets, all certified compatible with Google Cardboard and varying in price range.

Thanks to everyone who entered the January 25 iPhone Life Biweekly Giveaway! Every other week we give away amazing prizes, so if you didn't win this time, make sure you enter the February 8 giveaway and tell your friends to enter too!

And the winner is... (drum roll please):

TwelveSouth markets its SurfacePad ($39.99) cover as a leather jacket for your iPhone. The company doesn’t imply just any leather jacket but one tailored to your body and made of quality material, which is exactly what the SurfacePad is for the iPhone. I’ve said it before, I love TwelveSouth. I have yet to receive a product from them that I didn’t love.

For everyday uses, the iPhone has a decent built-in microphone. But if you want to get any level of professional sound, whether it be to film a movie, record a song, or conduct an interview, you’re going to need an external mic for quality sound. There’s a wide variety of options, but it’s definitely the type of product where you get what you pay for.

Apple's CarPlay has slowly but steadily gained adoption by car manufacturers and now Apple has updated its list of supported car brands to over 20 that support the standard on more than one hundred models. The latest brands include Acura, Alfa Romeo, Audi, BMW, Buick, Cadillac, Chevrolet, Chrysler, Citroën, Dodge, DS Automobiles, Ferrari, Fiat, Ford, GMC, Honda, Hyundai, Jaguar, Jeep, Kia, Land Rover, Mazda, Mercedes-Benz, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Opel, Peugeot, Porsche, Ram, Renault, Seat, Skoda, Subaru, Suzuki, Toyota, Volkswagen, and Volvo.