By Todd Bernhard
You can spend a lot on headphones endorsed by celebrities, but you don't always get what you pay for. Instead, try the FLOW Wireless Hybrid Noise Canceling Headphones ($279.99) from Cleer. These are well-designed, well-built, comfortable, and stylish headphones that justify the higher price.
By Todd Bernhard
Apple may still offer Lightning ports on its iOS devices, but clearly USB-C is the future of its MacBook line and maybe future iOS devices. For Apple users who have the newer MacBooks, like I do, but miss the ports found in older MacBook Pro laptops, there is the Nucleum ($49.99) from Kingston.
By Todd Bernhard
Apple has taken its sweet time delivering a multi-device charging station that can accommodate an iPhone, the Apple Watch, and Apple AirPods. It's been about a year since the AirPower wireless charger was announced, and when it finally is available, it will still be a lot more expensive than the Plux Wireless Charging Stand ($49) from Vinpak.
By Todd Bernhard
I have a lot of Qi-based wireless chargers around my house and office, so I can place my iPhone just about anywhere and keep it charged. But the iPhone usually needs to be laid flat in order to charge. But what if you want to watch a movie while charging your phone?
By Todd Bernhard
The YEVO Air wireless earbuds ($129) look better than the Apple AirPods, in my opinion. The compact, true wireless, earbuds look like something Apple might design. But for the AirPods, Apple instead went with its old AirBud design, just leaving off the wires.
By Todd Bernhard
If you like taking notes on paper, the traditional way, but you also want the benefits of digital record keeping, the RoWrite ($129.99) Smart Writing Pad from Royole can accommodate you. The intelligent notepad folio transfers your notes and drawings to a smartphone or tablet, and can even recognize and digitize your handwritten text.
By Todd Bernhard
Summer is here and it's time for partying outdoors. I can't think of a better iPhone accessory to do that with then the TikiTunes Wireless Speaker and Ambient Light ($39.99) from Limitless Innovations. It's a fun, attractive wireless Bluetooth speaker that can be paired with a second TikiTunes speaker to provide true stereo sound. At $40, it's reasonable to get two for that purpose.
By Todd Bernhard
I'm glad I didn't rush my review of the 3dRudder ($99) in January after CES 2018, as 3dRudder subsequently dropped the price from $179 to $99. At this new price, this game controller for feet is a lot more palatable and worth giving it a try. You still need to spend on other Virtual Reality equipment, and possibly games, but once you do, you will have a whole new way to interact with VR games. Instead of waving your arms around (or perhaps in addition to that) you can sit down and use your feet to control action.
By Todd Bernhard
My day-to-day case lately has been an Urban Armor Gear case that I picked up at CES 2018 and I'm quite happy with it. Recently, I got to try UAG's Monarch iPhone X Case ($59.95). This model carries on UAG's tradition of using heavy-duty materials and a rigid skeleton design, and goes even further with solid metal screws for support in the corners, which are the most likely points of impact when an iPhone is dropped. Indeed, the case meets 2X Military drop-test standards (MIL STD 810G 516.6.) The 10-year warranty is likely to outlast your iPhone!
By Todd Bernhard
Like most people, I am a fan of the Harry Potter universe, including Fantastic Beasts. I've seen all of the movies and even saw the new play, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, in London last month. But to review Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery (free + in-app purchases) from Jam City, I had to turn the reigns over to my daughter, Ariel, who is a Harry Potter superfan. In fact, she just returned from a trip to Scotland, where she visited the places where J.K. Rowling wrote the books, including the cemetery where she got the names for a number of characters. My daughter is heading to college next year, so it was fun for her to receive a virtual acceptance letter from Hogwarts and get to "attend" classes at that school, answer trivia questions, and more! So, the review below is from her viewpoint: