Reviews

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.

There's a lot to like about the Deadbolt 02 ($199) from igloohome, especially once you get it installed. I particularly liked the "magical" way you can enter, just by holding your hand over the touchscreen, as long as you have your phone nearby. The sleek device uses Bluetooth 4.0 to recognize that you are close by, and then unlocks the deadbolt when your hand is placed in the right spot. This could be great for entering with groceries, etc.

These five to-list apps and task management apps are fairly simple, contain a sleek interface, and most importantly, keep you organized. Say goodbye to forgetting to write important tasks down and having to remember the paper list on the counter. The following to-do list apps can help you keep up with your everyday life while keeping the process as simple (or detailed) as you like and as personalized as you desire. Also, they all have free versions with the option to pay for premium with an in-app purchase. Give one (or all) a try and comment below on how it goes.

The new Braven Stryde 360 ($99.99) is one of the latest in the robust lineup of rugged, adventure-ready, waterproof Bluetooth speakers from Braven. It brings a highly portable form factor and reliable waterproof protection to a speaker that also offers crisp, clear sound quality and respectable volume levels, especially for a portable wireless speaker of this size.

To say I’m obsessed with speakers might be an understatement. In eighth grade, I was supposed to write an essay on my most valued possession. I chose my Sony boombox. As an adult, I now have a speaker in almost every room of my house. So when I watched Apple announce the new HomePod at this year’s Worldwide Developers Conference, I felt like a kid in a candy store. Then I heard the price ($349) and things got a little more complicated.

Most people don’t understand Popsockets (starting at $10) until they try one. You’ll find one or two on the back of almost every iPhone, iPod, and iPad around the iPhone Life office. We use them when we’re snapping selfies, winding our earbud cords, Skyping in for meetings, or navigating the Iowa backroads. These 1.5-inch circles of plastic are simple, a bit silly looking, and incredibly useful. Continue reading to find out if the Popsocket and Popclip are practical iPhone accessories or goofy distractions.

I've tried out many of the best rugged and waterproof iPhone protective cases over the years, and while there are undoubtedly many excellent options on the market, my current favorite for the slightly older iPhone models (6/6 Plus and 6S/6S Plus iPhones), is hands down, the Dog & Bone Wetsuit Impact ($79.95). I'm rough on my iPhones—ike, really rough—and of all the cases I've  put to the test, the Impact has consistently performed the best. Read on after the break to find out all the ways this remarkably well-designed case performs in harsh terrain and under extreme conditions.

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