Accessories

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.

The V-MODA Crossfade Wireless ($300) is an impressive pair of Bluetooth headphones with exceptionally hi-definition audio and the convenience of wireless listening enjoyment. They are considered by headphone aficionados to be the best wireless headphones for DJs, gamers, audiophiles and anyone who wears their headphones for long stretches and demands optimum audio quality.

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.

There are a lot of accessories for the iPhone that are superfluous - awesome but not necessary. Then, there’s the small group of items every iPhone user should have. This list includes a screen protector, a case, and headphones. Beyond that, you can get fitness trackers, smartwatches, speakers, docks, but the most essential items for getting started are simple. We’re going to go over each item, top products, and the various options available for each item.

What can't we track these days in terms of health and fitness? Truly, it seems like there's a smart device and associated app for just about every athletic endeavor we can imagine. There's smart basketballs, smart golf gloves, and smart football helmets, to name a few. So it should come as no surprise that someone would eventually develop a way for folks to put their iPhones to work tracking and assisting with Kegel exercises.

I had the opportunity to try Wi-Fi HDD P700 ($119.99) from Emtec. I liked the truly massive amount of storage (1 TB or 2 TB) it offers compared to most competing offerings which are solid state based and offer 16 GB to 64 GB. I also liked that it offers both Wi-Fi and Ethernet based router capability. The device offers six hours of battery life, plus iOS and Android support with multi-user support (up to eight users). However, it is somewhat expensive and users must have the free "Emtec Connect" app to access the content. 

When it comes to running and listening to music, you need headphones or earbuds that feel comfortable but won’t budge no matter what terrain you’re running on. In the past when trying out active headphones, I’ve come across two major problems: they fall out or the added bulk to keep them in place hurts my ears. If a pair of active earbuds have neither of these problems, I look for added features and am particularly drawn to those with Bluetooth capability. Here’s my list of the three best Bluetooth-enabled earbuds for running.

One of the best featutes of the new Apple TV is the Siri Remote. Navigating through apps and content is a lot easier when you can talk to your TV via the remote. Plus the remote has gyroscopic sensors so it can double as a game controller. But it's also quite small and, if you have a black couch like I do, it's easy to lose. If that happens, you'll want a replacement, but you might be shocked to learn that it costs $79. That's more than the previous generation Apple TV. 

Creativity is the spice of life, and technology has made high-end tools available to the everyday person at decent prices. Sure, the iPad is great for watching Netflix or playing games, but I think it really shines when put to use for artistic endeavors. Whether you’re a visual artist, writer, musician, etc. - there is an iPad accessory out there to assist in your creation of art. Here’s five unique accessories I found.

One of the things that frustrated me most when I recently got the iPhone 6s was its size (yes, I was one of those people who longed for the days of my 4-inch iPhone 5s). The problem was that I had a pretty difficult time using the iPhone 6s one handed. Yeah, I get it, there’s that whole Reachability feature that Apple added to help solve this exact issue. But let’s be honest—nobody likes Reachability. I’ve activated the feature a lot since purchasing my phone, but never on purpose. So when I saw the 6Sense Tempered Glass Screen Protector by Avant Guard at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show—which allows you to activate functions located at the top corners of your screen (like the Back and Edit buttons in the Photos app) from the bottom of your screen instead—I was pretty excited by the concept.

Pages