Accessories

Summertime is just around the corner. That means it’s time to prepare for pool parties, camping and kayaking, or playing on the beach. Wherever you go, having a portable Bluetooth speaker is a must for anyone who wants to enjoy their music too. Inateck sent me its Mercury Box ($39.99) shower Bluetooth speaker to try out. The two most important features for me were portability and water resistance. So I put the Mercury Box to the test.

Moshi products have long been the ideal option for those looking for style and functionality. Many of the company's products, such as its IonBanks, look great and keep your devices powered as well as showcase Moshi's level of dedication. Moshi has a large product line available now, but that doesn’t mean Moshi is clocking out for the day. Instead,  it continues to work on bringing products to market that help make your devices seamless additions into your style and everyday life. Moshi has tackled the need for power, the need to safely use devices, dock them, and keep them safe. With its newest products, Moshi aims to help you bring your devices with you everywhere you need to bring them.

Leading up to Apple’s Spring Event, the rumor mill was positive Apple would debut new watch bands in different colors and materials. And it did, but I don’t think Nylon was what we had in mind. I expect Apple to be innovative; I want to be wowed. But that is Apple's own doing after years of marketing slogans like, “Think Different” and “The only thing that’s changed is everything.” So when I received an email about Ottm’s Hardwood Apple Watch Bands, my first thought was, “Why didn’t Apple think of this?” 

It’s no secret I love a good Kickstarter or Indiegogo campaign. If you’re an avid reader of iPhone Life, you’ve likely seen my previous roundups of top tech projects you can fund via Kickstarter or Indiegogo. I truly feel that browsing tech on those websites gives you an inside look at where trends are leading and what people want to buy. Plus, even if a campaign has already been completely funded, there are perks you can claim when you pre-order or contribute that will allow you to be one of the first to get the product and at a huge discount.

Once you’ve spent hundreds of dollars on an iPad, the last thing you want to do is spend another hundred on a case for it. Plus, there are lots of different models of iPad, and while the iPad Pro has garnered a lot of attention, most of us still use either an original iPad, iPad Air, or iPad Mini. So let’s take a look at some beautiful and functional iPad cases that come in sizes for most (if not all) models of iPad and stay under a solid $50 budget.

Every year, iPhone Life team members visit CES in Las Vegas to see the latest and greatest in consumer electronics. And each year, we give awards to the companies whose products amaze us, peak our interest, and generally improve life with technology. One of our 2016 awards went to MESH Tags ($49.99) by Sony. What you can do with MESH tags is too limiting a question; it would be easier to ask what can’t you do. The possibilities are truly endless, but let’s take a look at the seven different tags available and how you might benefit from each.

Apple spent a short amount of time during its March 21 announcement to discuss the Apple Watch. While nothing is changing within the internals of the watch, the company introduced new bands. Apple CEO Tim Cook stated that one in three users like to change watch bands. I myself have three bands, but I tend to stick with the Milanese Loop. Speaking of the Milanese Loop (after all, the event was introduced with the tagline "Let us loop you in") Apple now offers a Space Black version. The Milanese Loop has always been my favorite, because it is infinitely adjustable, as your wrist expands and contracts throughout the day, due to temperature, pressure, activity, etc. It is nice to see a black option, although I was surprised Apple didn't also add gold and rose gold. I've written about third parties who offer knockoffs in such colors, at much more affordable prices.