The iOS 14 Guide: Everything You Need to Be Successful

(Sponsored Post) By Erin MacPherson on Wed, 09/16/2020

Apple has finally released iOS 14, the tech giant’s most advanced version of the operating system for iPhones and iPods yet. Between widgets on the home screen, the new app library, and the redesigned Messages app, this is one of the biggest iOS updates we’ve ever seen, and we're here to make sure you don't get left behind. We've just published our comprehensive iOS 14 Guide to help you master Apple's new operating system.  

Eggtronic always makes stylish devices and the Power Bar ($149.99) the company sent me to try is no exception. The Power Bar is a 10,000 mAh battery pack in a rounded rectangular brick with a glossy white exterior that looks a lot like an early iPod or the actual packaging that enclosed my original Apple Watch. Aside from the glossy white surface, the only markings are the Eggtronic logo and two "Qi" logos to indicate the two fast charging 7.5-watt wireless pads that are a highlight of this device. These can be used for iPhones, Android phones, or AirPods that support Qi. Like most portable Qi chargers, you have to push a button to activate it, otherwise it would be drawing a small amount of power all the time, eventually running out.

Apple claims its newer iPhones are waterproof, and they can indeed support being splashed or sometimes even submerged in water, but my daughter found out the hard way when her iPhone suffered water damage that you cannot use them underwater as if they were a purpose-built waterproof camera. If you truly want to take photos and videos underwater on your iPhone, you have to check out the AxisGo (starting at $149) waterproof iPhone housing case from AquaTech. The company sent me a review unit to try and I cannot convey how well-built and rugged these things are.

Episode 143: Everything Apple Announced at Its September Event

In this special episode, David and Donna recap everything Apple announced (and failed to announce!) at its September event. Get their take on the new iPad Air, Apple Watch Series 6, Apple Fitness Plus subscription, and much more. Learn what's to love, what's lacking, and what you should definitely buy!

Submitted by Donna Schill on Tue, 09/15/2020 - 19:08

During Apple's September event, Apple announced its new fitness subscription service: Fitness+. Apple says Fitness+ will create comprehensive, personalized workouts that include music, metrics, and instructors for all lifestyles and fitness levels. This is a logical offering in a time when many gyms are closed and many people are looking for safe and solitary ways to stay fit, but with so many free fitness programs out there, how will Fitness+ differentiate itself and justify the monthly price tag? One unique feature is that this is the first digital fitness program to synchronize with the Apple Watch, so tracking your activity, heart rate, calories, and more will be easier and more in-depth than if you were using a different program, and workout suggestions promise new levels of personalization. Users will play a workout on their iPhone, iPad, or Apple TV while their Apple Watch tracks and records their activity. And even though the Apple Watch will be collecting and analyzing more data than ever before, Apple promises that all the information, from instructors to calories, will be kept private.

When I wrote my iPad rumor roundup last month, I included the idea that Apple had a 10.8-inch edge-to-edge display iPad or iPad Air ready to reveal. That rumor proves to have been a little right and a little wrong! Today Apple unveiled the fourth-generation iPad Air, and it includes a 10.9-inch, Liquid Retina edge-to-edge display, a first for the iPad Air family. Besides this all-screen display, what's new about the fourth-gen iPad Air? In a word, lots. Let's go over all the improvements Apple has made to the iPad Air, including its A14 Bionic Chip with Neural Engine, removal of the Home button, new display upgrades, camera and audio upgrades, and more.   

In a significant break from routine, Apple's 2020 September Special Event did not include an announcement of the 2020 iPhones. Instead, the event focused on the new Apple Watch and iPad models. While the Apple Watch and iPad announcement times vary year by year, this is the first time since 2011 and only the second time ever that the new iPhones were not announced in the September event. The first time was in 2011 when the 4S was announced October 4 and released ten days later. This year's delay is linked to the COVID-19 pandemic, and while we're still waiting on all the most important information regarding the 2020 iPhone announcement and release, let's take a look at what we do know.

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