Accessories

Before stumbling upon Trekz Titanium ($129.99) by AfterShokz, I had never heard of headphones that skip your ears and play music through your cheekbones. But once I discovered them, I had to give it a try. It seems absolutely counterintuitive to listen to music solo without obstructing the ear, but that’s exactly what the headphones promise to do. They’re designed to deliver premium sound while keeping your ears open to traffic noises and other ambient sounds; so, does it work?

As a kid, I loved playing with walkie talkies. Long before cellphones, or even cordless phones, it was a way to run around the neighborhood and play cops and robbers, astronauts and aliens, etc. I even got a CB radio for my car when I was 16. So embracing cellphones was no surprise, but I missed the push-to-talk feature. Now, there are a few ways to achieve this and it's not just about fun. If you are on the slopes, skiing or snowboarding, you will want to stay in touch with your friends. It could even be a matter of life or death, if there's an avalanche or you fall. That's why I'm so excited about the YodelUP Kickstarter offering that starts at a very reasonable $69.

In many areas in the smartphone and tablet industry Apple has blazed the trail, creating devices that are unparalleled in their user interface, practicality, and usefulness. Apple has managed to either out-innovate its competition or simply out-perform them. In some instances, Apple set the trend, as was the case with the first-to-market device of its kind, the original iPhone. In other instances, like the Apple Watch, Apple may not have been the first to offer a product of this kind, but the sales, popularity and customer satisfaction levels of the Apple Watch have gone on to far exceeded that of its closest competitors. Now, as the world gradually acknowledges the potential of Virtual Reality (VR), the question arises: will Apple be content to sit on the sidelines while other companies, like Google, Samsung, and Oculus become the dominant forces in this emerging new medium, or does Apple have a thing or two up its sleeves when it comes to Virtual Reality?

The iPad Pro has been on the market for a little while now, but we’re really just beginning to see a range of great accessories and innovative solutions to iPad Pro challenges. From protective iPad sleeves to ingenious docks for Apple Pencil, new gear for the iPad Pro is proving to be useful and glorious. Here’s five fantastic iPad Pro accessories to check out now.

The fitness tracking industry is officially flooded with options. Yet, which wearable you buy depends largely on how you plan to use it. Most fitness trackers focus on daily activity tracking which is usually some combination of active calories burned and time spent exercising. Moov Now ($79.95) takes a unique approach with guided workouts and real-time corrective coaching. This feature alone got me excited, so I decided to test it out and see if the device could become my new personal trainer.

The big problem with headphones and earbuds is what do you do with them when you're not using them. You could wind up the cable and shove them in your pocket, but the folks at Wraps Wearables have a better idea. The Wraps Wristband Headphones (£14.99-£24.99) are designed to be coiled up and worn like a bracelet. The seller is located in the UK, but ships to the U.S.

CES is a great way to see a wide variety of high-tech products, primarily made in China, without having to travel overseas. Yet it was an American-made product that really stood out. The eCo-Cover Soft-touch Smartphone Cover ($34.95) is distinctive because of two main features. It is made of compostable, organic corn and it is made in the USA, Nebraska to be specific.

It’s time to take a look at what’s happening on Kickstarter and Indiegogo again. Regardless of whether you have money to support awesome projects coming out or not, it’s a neat way to see what’s manifesting on the leading edge of tech. Everyone has amazing ideas and the people on these sites are asking for support to bring those ideas into reality. I constantly see ideas for products I would have never thought of; here’s five projects that I’m amazed by you can support right now.

At the recent Consumer Electronics Show, I almost skipped past the Sandman Clocks booth. After all, how high tech can a clock be and what does a clock have to do with iPhones? A lot, as it turns out. The 4-Port USB Charging Clock ($29) from Sandman Clocks is first and foremost a clock. That is apparent from the bright and large red LED numerals that are easy to see, day and night. They take up almost the full size of the clock, which is great, especially if you keep it far away from your nightstand. But what really sets the Sandman Clock apart is that it has four USB ports, including a high powered port for charging tablets, which allows it to act as a multi-device charging station. I have my iPhone, iPad mini, Apple TV Siri remote, and Apple Watch on my nightstand. This could charge all of those and not take up any more wall outlets. The Sandman Clock would be ideal for hotels that want to accommodate their guests' many USB devices, without making them unplug a lamp as I've had to do too often.

Do you miss the days of carrying miscellaneous items and keys around your neck or at your belt with a lanyard? I remember being in middle school when that was what every self-respecting nerd carried with them. Truly though, it was the practical use of the item which made it such a hit. The Reelcase ($34.95) brings the classic lanyard idea and hides it with an iPhone case, giving you multiple ways to carry your device without using any hands.

When I graduated from high school, I was presented with a set of 10K gold Cross pens by my parents. This replaced a chrome set I had received in junior high school. For many, Cross was a symbol for writers. Over the years, I have collected many pens, but my Cross pens remain front-and-center, flanked by their cousins from Mont Blanc and Cartier. Today, I write on my iPad Air 2 more often than on paper. The closest pen, versus the best pen, usually suffices for the occasional check endorsement or tax note on a receipt. Like regular pens, I have collected dozens of styluses, from the passive type that drove the interfaces of the Sharp Zaurus and the Pocket PC, to the active type used to scrawl across the likes of the Microsoft Surface. 

What will they think of next? I saw the BLOCKS Customizable Dock Building Set for Apple Watch ($19.99) at the SwitchEasy booth at CES. This one surprised me, but I like it. SwitchEasy has basically combined a simple Apple Watch Charging cradle with Lego-compatible bricks. The idea is that you can create a truly unique stand for your Apple Watch, as long as you provide your own charger. The set includes 92 bricks (note that SwitchEasy doesn't use the word "Lego," but the company insists its bricks are compatible with the popular toy.) The BLOCKS works with both 38 mm and 42 mm Apple Watches. At under $20, the BLOCKS dock is an affordable, unique concept.

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