iPhone Life - Best Apps, Top Tips, Great Gear
At Last, a Comfortable Way to Use Your iPad
Sponsored By Tablift on Tue, 08/07/2018
If you don’t already have a Tablift, what are you doing? You have got to try out this incredible iPad stand for yourself! There is no better way to lounge, recline, or relax with your iPad than with Tablift. With rave reviews on Amazon and elsewhere online, Tablift users are shouting their love of Tablift via the internet, hoping others will hear and get to experience ones of their own. Why do people love Tablift so dearly? Tablift is the only stand that allows you to use your tablet hands free while sitting on the couch, recliner, or even in bed. This makes Tablift ideal for watching movies and videos, reading, making video calls, playing games, and more—especially on uneven surfaces.
How to Choose & Use the Best External Storage Device for Your iPhone
By Leanne Hays
We've probably all used a flash drive, jump drive, or thumb drive (they're all the same thing) to safely store and transport our important files. Now though, in the age of iCloud, does anyone really need a USB storage device for their iPhone? Apple's cross-device storage system, iCloud, syncs all devices that are signed in with the same Apple ID; meaning that if you delete a photo on your iPhone, it's also gone from your iPad, Mac, and your iCloud account. This brings us back to the necessity of external storage for the iPhone. We can, of course, save photos and other files to another location on our devices, separate from our iCloud Libraries, but those files will still consume storage space. Now the longevity of the flash drive becomes more clear. If you're beginning to think that a flash drive for your iOS device might be a good investment, read on to learn how to use a flash drive with your phone, and about a few of the best flash drives on the market today.
Best & Worst Features of iOS 12
By Sarah Kingsbury
In the 89th episode of the iPhone Life Podcast, members of the team share the best and worst features of iOS 12 after testing the beta software on their iPhones and iPads. You'll also discover the charging dock, smart water bottle, and rugged case you need this summer.
Express Your Selfie: Your Guide to Selfie Basics
By Tamlin Day
It might surprise you to learn that the selfie portrait has a history dating all the way back to 1839 when Robert Cornelius snapped a pic of himself in a full-length mirror. Fortunately, taking a selfie is much easier now than in the days of billows and silver nitrate. Your iPhone is the perfect tool for creating both fun and professional-looking self-portraits with minimal hassle. Read on to learn more about taking the perfect selfie with your iPhone.
Review: iDevices Home Automation Products
By Mike Riley
2018 may be the year that home automation adoption rates take off. The number of HomeKit-enabled devices is rapidly growing among both established players and newcomers alike. One such company, iDevices, has continued to expand its product line by recently adding two types of switches and a wall power outlet that can be controlled autonomously. Let's take a look at each of these devices in detail.
Review: Augmented Audio Cushion from HUMU
By Todd Bernhard
For something as obscure as a pillow speaker, I've actually had the opportunity to review a couple of offerings. The latest, the HUMU Augmented Audio Cushion ($279) addresses many of the issues with previous attempts. Unlike the other pillow speaker I reviewed, this model uses USB to recharge as opposed to a proprietary power brick. The HUMU speaker cushion is also more compact and has a handle. All of these features make the HUMU more portable and easier to travel with.
Review: iHome Dock for Amazon Echo Dot
By Todd Bernhard
I love the Amazon Alexa ecosystem and I have an Alexa-compatible device in just about every room. The affordability of the Echo Dot makes this practical, unlike Apple's HomePod. I can have ten Echo Dots for about the price of one HomePod. But the Echo Dot doesn't have great sound. The iAVS1 ($49.99) from iHome fixes this and adds some very welcome features.
Review: Cable Wrangler Makes Cord Management Attractive & Easy
By Todd Bernhard
It might seem like a first-world problem, but it is annoying to look for a data or charging cable that used to be "right there" only to find it slipped and fell to the ground. That's where the Cable Wrangler ($19.99) from Silk comes in. It is a small, affordable, unassuming little gadget that you will quickly determine should be on every desk, table, or nightstand.
The Ultimate Guide to Selfie Sticks
By Tamlin Day
While planning your next family vacation or tropical getaway, you might find yourself wondering how some people grab those great group selfies without losing their iPhone over a waterfall. If you’ve ever found yourself fumbling for the shutter button while trying to take a perfectly framed self-portrait, then it might be time to consider a selfie stick. Read on to learn about the different types of selfie sticks and how to incorporate one into your next group selfie.
Offline Games for iPhone: 5 Fun Games That Don't Need Wi-Fi
By Leanne Hays
It seems unfair that the times we're able to play games on our iPhones are the exact times that there's unreliable, unsecured, or no Wi-Fi connection at all. If you've been wishing for a few fun offline games for those long flights, waits at the DMV, or road trips to the back of beyond, I've collected a sampling of no Wi-Fi games just for you. Whether you enjoy offline racing games, strategy games, puzzle games, or even RPG games, there's something in this games without Wi-Fi roundup for everybody. Let me know which of these iPhone games is your go-to when there's no internet available, and if you have any to recommend that I've missed. Let's get started!
Smart Lawn & Garden Watering: Eve Aqua Review
By Mike Riley
Elgato's Eve line of HomeKit-enabled home automation products has expanded to cover a variety of situations. In addition to the usual collection of light switches and power outlets, Eve has ventured into temperature monitoring and motion detection. The latest addition to the Eve product line is Eve Aqua ($99.95), an electronic water valve that connects to an outdoor water spigot and provides HomeKit-connected autonomous lawn and garden watering.
Best Wellness Apps: Recipes, Exercise, Yoga, Meditation, Brain Games & More
By Briana Dicks
Our iPhones help us to keep organized, on time, and more productive than ever before, but they can also help us be more physically, mentally, and emotionally healthy. There's an app out there for just about everything, and that includes meditation and mindfulness apps, anxiety relief, relaxation, and anti-anxiety apps, memory improvement and brain game apps, and of course, yoga, exercise, fitness, and healthy food and recipe apps. Here's our latest roundup of the best iPhone and iPad apps to help you be the most fit, relaxed, and calm that you can be. Some of these are free, some you'll need to pay for, but all of them are worth a try; enjoy!
Keep Your Location & Browsing Private with TunnelBear VPN App
By Conner Carey
Establishing a Virtual Private Network (VPN) is important for keeping your personal information safe, especially when on public Wi-Fi. We often think about using a VPN on our computers, but it's worth getting on for iPhone as well. With TunnelBear VPN on iPhone, you can browse the web securely at home and in public. Each month you can use 500 MB of data completely free, and TunnelBear offers affordable options thereafter. With super strong encryption and security that’s been verified by a third-party company, TunnelBear has positioned itself as a VPN to trust. Learn more on what TunnelBear does and why we love it below.
How to Update Your HomePod to the Latest Version of iOS
By Leanne Hays
After you've downloaded the latest version of iOS to your iPhone, iPad, or iPod Touch, you'll need to make sure that your HomePod has updated to the new operating system as well. The HomePod automatically updates software, but sometimes there's a bit of lag time. Let's get started learning how to check if your HomePod has completed the download, and how to update the HomePod's software if an automatic update hasn't occurred.
iPad Slow? Learn How to Speed up iPad, Even Older Ones!
By Leanne Hays
If you have an older iPad, you may have noticed that it's not as fast as it used to be and asked yourself, "why is my iPad so slow?" There are lots of different reasons why your iPad may be running more slowly than it did when you first bought it, and luckily there are just as many ways to speed it back up again! Whether you have an original iPad, iPad 2, older iPad mini, or a more recent version of Apple's tablet, we'll go over all the possible issues that may be causing your device to lag and explore some remedies for these problems.
5 Best Bags for Your iPad or Laptop
By Sarah Kingsbury
Whether you are looking a messenger bag for your laptop or iPad that's all professional style or a briefcase or backpack that can transition from work bag to carry-on or hiking accessory, you need a bag that can carry all your essential tech from one activity to another. We've rounded up five great options for packing and carrying everything you need to get through your busy day.
What Comes After iPhone X? Product Rumors for Apple’s Next Event
By Sarah Kingsbury
This is the episode every Apple fanboy and fangirl should listen to in preparation for Apple's fall event! Members of the iPhone Life team will cover all the latest product rumors leading up to September. Find out what Apple will call the next generation of iPhones following the iPhone X and iPhone 8, get the details on new iPad Pros with Face ID, and learn why the Series 4 Apple Watch models will likely sport larger displays. The team will also discuss AirPod, AirPower, and Mac rumors as well as likely release dates and prices.