Reviews

Qi charging, wireless charging, inductive charging... whatever you call it, it's fast becoming a must-have feature in the smart phone world. Apple's latest three iPhone offerings, the 8, 8 Plus, and X, are all Qi enabled and can charge their batteries at the wireless charging stations that are popping up everywhere from airports to coffee shops. There's even a free app, Aircharge Qi, that lets iPhone users know where their nearest Qi charging station is! The versatility and convenience offered by electromagnetic charging isn't just for the latest iPhones, though. If you have an older iPhone and want to get on the wireless charging bandwagon, there's more than one way to Qi-enable your pre-iPhone 8 device. Choices include wireless charging cases, and a variety of wireless charging receiver cards, stickers, and patches; and remember, if you're going to buy a Qi-enabling accessory for your device, you'll also need a Qi charging pad. Let's get started going over your options to get wireless charging on your older iPhone.

In the 73rd episode of the iPhone Life Podcast, listen in as the team covers the latest iOS news, from Amazon Prime Video's arrival in the Apple TV store to Apple's acquisition of the music recognition platform Shazam. Other topics include best apps and gear for the holiday season and tips for using iOS 11's Drag and Drop feature on your iPhone.

Feral Interactive, the company responsible for the remarkable port of the Total War games to the iOS platform, has outdone itself with its latest PC to mobile conversion. GRID Autosport for iPhone and iPad ($9.99), originally developed for the PC and game consoles by Codemasters, is an amazing achievement in presenting the fidelity and complete package (including 10 free episodes of downloadable content) from the desktop and game console counterparts. Read on to find out why the release of this driving game is a defining moment for iOS gamers.

With the tech market saturated with so many gadgets, how can you know what’s worth your time and money? At iPhone Life, we know a good product when we see one. After testing out stacks of protective iPhone cases, Bluetooth wireless headphones, rugged Bluetooth speakers, iPhone and Apple Watch chargers, and more year-round, we can appreciate the difference when a company goes the extra mile to make an iPhone or iPad accessory that works seamlessly and is a pleasure to use. This holiday season, we’ve compiled our very favorite 47 tech gifts that we know anyone on your list is going to love. 

Augmented Reality (AR) is supposedly "the next big thing" in videogames, and Apple has embraced that possibility by outfitting iOS game developers with ARKit to help standardize and accelerate AR on iOS. During the recent iPhone 8 and 8 Plus and iPhone X launch event, Apple had a developer from Directive Games take to the stage and demonstrate the company's ARKit-powered new game, The Machines. After upgrading to iOS 11, the first AR-enabled game I played was The Machines ($4.99). Does it live up to the hype? Read on to find out.

Perhaps the best smart accessory you can get for your smart home, if you have a dog or cat, is the SmartFeeder ($119.99–$149) from Petnet.io. I have a dog that I love, but my wife and I work and our kids are at school, so it's nice to know that our dog can be fed regularly. Additionally, we try to be precise about how much we feed our dog, and the Petnet.io app lets us choose the exact amount of dry dog food. The app is elegant and simple and I found it easy to set up the app and the online account, as well as the hardware.

Best 5 Job Search Apps

By Darryll Edwards...

Throughout history there has always been one thing people cannot live without: Money. Everything costs money and in order to make money you need a job. It’s not always easy to find a job, but there are multiple ways to do so. One way is through job search apps which allow you to find jobs near you and helps you get your name out there.

I grew up in one of the most beautiful places on the entire planet. No kidding. People would come from all over the world to visit our exquisite crystal blue waters and our lush tropical islands. Now however, everything has changed. In a matter of hours the Virgin Islands (the British Virgin Islands in particular) were decimated by the most powerful Atlantic hurricane ever recorded. Now the people in the islands are dealing with the devastation and many residents have gone from living an idealistic island life to living like refugees.

Several years ago, I reviewed one of Sumo Lounge's largest bean bag chairs. My family and I still use that chair to this day even though it continues to take up a considerable amount of space in our entertainment room. After recently revisiting digital-lifestyle furniture, I decided to check up on Sumo Lounge to see what the company was up to and discovered to my pleasant surprise that Sumo has expanded its product line. One of the most recent additions to the family is the Omni Flex chair ($199). Does it maintain Sumo Lounge's comfort level while not taking up too much floor space? Read on to find out.

There are a lot of Bluetooth trackers out there, but the Pixie Finder (starting at $29.99) from Pixie has an interesting twist. Pixie has added Augmented Reality to the process of finding your missing gadgets. To accomplish this, one of the trackers needs to be attached to your iPhone or iPhone case. To Pixie's credit, the company gives away a custom case with your order. 

If you're not already a parent, don't let this article discourage you. Parenting is one of the most amazing and rewarding things that can happen to a person. But it's also a lot of work, and at just about every stage of your kid's childhood, you'll need the best kid-friendly iPhone case you can find to protect your device from increased dangers and risk of damage. If you have a baby, then there's the ever-present threat of your baby spitting up on your iPhone or dropping it. If you have a toddler (which I do), then there's the danger of your teething child chewing on your iPhone, throwing it in a fit of toddler-tantrum, or experimentally placing your iPhone in the potty. And it's not like the risk of damage to your iPhone goes away as your child get older. Young kids and early teens are notorious for being a little on the careless side; and until they discover the joys of paying for expensive computing devices for themselves, they typically won't have the same level of respect and reverence for said devices that you as a parent and provider will have. So as a mom or dad, having the best kid-friendly, life-proof protective iPhone case is a wise decision. Fortunately, there's no shortage of great protective case options to meet everyone's tastes and preferences (there's even an Etch-a-Sketch iPhone case out there), whether you have the iPhone 7, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, or iPod Touch. So without further ado, here are the best child-proof cases for the iPhone 7, iPhone 6, iPhone 5s, and iPod Touch that moms and dads will love.

The iPhone is water resistant, but that doesn't mean you can skip the waterproof case for your iPhone 7 or 7 Plus. Whether you’re a rugged adventurer or parent of young children, you’re going to need your iPhone to survive a lot of love, which means a case for your iPhone 7 that's waterproof, shockproof, heavy duty, and tough. So we’re going to look at drop-proof, shockproof, and waterproof iPhone 7 cases that will be durable, strong, and make your iPhone nearly indestructible. Obviously, the iPhone 7 (Plus) Lifeproof case will be on our list, but other brands have equally impressive rugged cases that deserve to be on our best protective iPhone 7 cases list too. Here’s the best protective & waterproof cases for your iPhone 7 or 7 Plus.

Before I headed out on a four-month trip to the island of Hawaii this past October, I put a lot of research and thought into what kind of rugged iPhone 7 accessories I would bring. I wanted to ensure the safety of my iPhone 7, as I knew it would be a valuable tool in documenting the trip. The most obvious accessory was a protective waterproof iPhone 7 case. And while my rugged iPhone 7 case ultimately did the job, there were some close calls with water, rocks, sand, heat, and yes, even a volcano. Now, if my iPhone had fallen into a volcano, I seriously doubt any case would have saved me from that loss. However, having been through this adventure with my iPhone 7, I came back to the mainland with a better understanding of what rugged iPhone gear I could have gone a little more “hard-core” with, as well as some ideas about what I could have brought with me but didn’t. Here are the top seven rugged iPhone accessories I will bring on my next adventure, from an outdoor Bluetooth waterproof speaker and portable solar panels to an iPhone camera lens kit and Bluetooth shutter remote.

We all want to keep our iPhones protected. Though the iPhone has gotten stronger over the years, it’s far from indestructible. Getting the toughest, protective case for your iPhone 6s or 6s Plus is a good idea, especially if you lead a rugged life. We’re looking at waterproof, drop-proof, and shock-proof cases. Only the strongest, most durable will do. Whether you’re planning to hit the slopes this Winter or you simply have a toddler, these heavy-duty iPhone cases will protect your iPhone from mishaps and the elements. Here’s the best protective cases for iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

Are you an animal lover? Do you have kids? Great, then you’ll love these interactive apps! Along with being visually pleasing and easy to use, these are some of the best game apps for iPad and iPhone that promote learning – through pictures, puzzles, and even some math! Kids will be so into the apps that they will forget they are learning, but parents will be pleased because their children are gaining fundamental knowledge. Here are four iPhone apps for kids that have some purely fun objectives and features to stimulate your child’s giggly, energetic personality.

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