Accessories

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.

Thanks in large part to Apple and the Apple Watch, sales of smartwatches outpaced sales of Swiss watches in Q4 2015, according to Strategy Analytics. Apple, Android Wear, Pebble, and other smartwatches combined to sell 8.1 million units in the fourth quarter. By comparison, 7.9 million Swiss watches were sold in the same time period. This had been predicted by Apple's Jony Ive, but the speed at which it happened is mind boggling.

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.

In the 25th episode, the iPhone Life team talks about the pros and cons of cutting the cord and replacing cable or satellite TV with an Apple TV,  as well as which apps offer the best viewing options. Other topics include how to free up storage space on an iPad or iPhone, what the earthquake in Taiwan means for iPhone 7 chip production, and why you should pay for your music streaming service.