Accessories

KUKE: an affordable iPhone battery case with built-in storage expansion

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated November 10, 2022

Because your battery is such a precious asset to your iPhone, you can never go wrong with trying to expand its life. This is especially the scenario for people who put a lot of miles on their device each day, sending hundreds of text messages back and forth with friends and checking social media on a regular basis.

The KUKE, made by Kuner Tech, is a battery case for the iPhone, fresh out of an Indiegogo campaign, that does away with the clunkiness of many third-party options, and blows Apple's Smart Battery Case out of the water in performance and usability. Not only will it give you a truckload more battery life for your iPhone, but it also provides additional storage space for your documents, media, and more.

In this review, we'll show you what the KUKE case is all about!

Upgrading your MacBook Air/Pro storage capacity with the OWC Aura Pro SSD

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated June 1, 2016

Other World Computing unveiled their Aura Pro PCI-e drop-in SSD upgrade kits last month for 2013 and later MacBook Pro with Retina display and MacBook Air model notebooks.

OWC's Aura Pro SSD storage upgrades start at $399.00 (introductory price) for a 480GB module and and go up in price from there.

Sure to be a popular seller for those that want to upgrade the on-board storage in their expensive Macs without buying an all-new Mac, we've decided to try it out and share with you exactly what we think about it.

Pod Pro review: the portable Apple Watch & iPhone battery dock

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 18, 2016

Those who need a portable battery pack for the Apple Watch that aren't so keen on just plugging the USB end into the receiver of a battery pack and letting the magnetic end dangle around everywhere are going to be hard-pressed to find a good portable battery pack made specifically for the Apple Watch's proprietary charging platform.

Fortunately, Nomad has the Pod Pro, which can be had on Amazon for $85, and is a great solution for on-the-go Apple Watch charging, and even includes a built-in Lightning cable for charging your device, whether it's an iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad. We'll show you what the Pod Pro is all about in this review.

Blockhead makes your MacBook charging brick less annoying

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 15, 2016

I love my Mac, but honestly, I hate the AC adapter. The 'wall wart,' as I like to call it, sticks out so far from the wall that it can be incredibly inconvenient for plugging in behind couches and in other tight spaces.

Blockhead, which was only just recently announced, eliminates the annoying protrusion of Apple's AC adapter and is now available from Ten One Design.

Now that the Blockhead is available for purchase, we've been lucky enough to get our hands on one. In this review, we'll walk you through its design and how it looks.

Timeframe: the Apple Watch desk stand that doubles as a case

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 13, 2016

Fellow Apple Watch users, the Timeframe by Ten One Design is a wonderful way to enjoy Night Stand mode while it charges at night.

Moreover, it'll still feel as though your device is well-protected from falls or pets that might like to climb up on your night stand at night because it offers a protective bezel that surrounds all of the delicate parts of the device.

In this review, we'll walk you through our thoughts on the Timeframe.

BatteryBox Mini keeps your iPhone (and much more) powered while on the go

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 11, 2016

Because I'm always out and about, and my iPhone can always use a good charge when I'm away from an outlet, external battery accessories are always of great interest to me. BatteryBox, which you may remember made it to both my top 5 accessories for iPhone and top 5 accessories for Mac lists, has long filled that void for me.

Nevertheless, I've been looking for something a little easier to carry around with me when I leave the house or leave the car, and something I can use a little more easily while walking around and while not carrying a backpack.

One solution I've found to work quite well for this need is BatteryBox's little brother, dubbed BatteryBox Mini, which can be had on the BatteryBox website for less than $35. In this review, we'll take you through the features of BatteryBox Mini and show you whether it's a good investment for your needs.

Spotting the signs of a fake Apple Lightning cable

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated June 26, 2018

Whenever you buy a new iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad, it'll come with a Lightning to USB cable that you will use to charge and sync your device. On the other hand, you have to be careful when you buy these cables separately, especially online, because you could end up with a counterfeit cable.

A counterfeit is a cable that tries to look just like Apple's OEM Lightning to USB cable, even though it isn't. Using these cables could have an adverse effect on your device, so we'll show you how to spot the differences between a counterfeit and genuine Lightning to USB cable in this piece.

Mountie: a simple way to mount your iOS device side-by-side with your MacBook

Anthony Bouchard ∙ April 7, 2016

Whether you're looking to make multitasking easier by having your iPhone, iPod touch, or iPad right next to your computer, or you're using some kind of screen-extension software like Duet Display, the Mountie by Ten 1 Design is a great way to use your iOS device side-by-side with your Mac or PC.

The Mountie, which can be had in either Blue or Green flavors on Amazon for just under $25, is an affordable way to keep your iOS device right where you want it – in front of your face – without needing to shell out big bucks on fancy desk stands.

In this review, we'll show you how the Mountie works and give you our general opinion on why you should or shouldn't consider it for your Apple accessory wish list.

Simple tips for safely cleaning your Mac and other Apple devices

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated August 15, 2018

Your Mac, iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and/or any other other fancy high-tech devices you have are fun to use, but they'll easily get dirty and collect dust, sneeze splatter, and bacteria from your fingers over time, whether they're used frequently or not.

To combat grime, you can clean your devices every so often, but like anything else, there's a right and a wrong way to do this.

In this piece, we'll share with you some handy tips for cleaning your Mac and other Apple devices safely so you don't accidentally damage them.

Ottm Apple Watch bands are made of 100% hardwood

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated July 1, 2016

When it comes to wearable technology, such as the Apple Watch and many other competing smartwatches on the market, fashion plays a big role. This isn't just something you take in and out of your pocket all day long; it's something you wear.

For that reason, a startup is launching an Indiegogo campaign for a new Apple Watch band made completely of wood, and it's being called Ottm.

Ottm will come in different kinds of wood colors and fit both 38mm and 42mm Apple Watches, as well as other smartwatches, and they're hand-crafted to ensure they're of the highest quality possible.

MacID price drops 75% in the App Store for a limited time

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 28, 2016

MacID, the popular app for iPhone and iPad that lets you use Touch ID or your Apple Watch (and yes, even your Pebble) to unlock your Mac over a Bluetooth connection, is on sale in the App Store this week for 75% off the usual price.

The app received an important update over the weekend with support for new features found in iOS 9.3 and watchOS 2.2, giving users the ability to configure multiple Apple Watches with MacID and use them to unlock their Mac.

Marked at just $0.99 for a limited time, you can grab MacID and start using your iOS device's Touch ID sensor or Apple Watch to unlock your Mac instead of typing in a password each time it locks itself.

OLO Kickstarter campaign promises first practical 3D Printer for iPhone

Anthony Bouchard ∙ March 27, 2016

3D printing is the wave of the future, and soon, you'll be able to do it right from your smartphone, whether it's an iPhone, Windows phone, or Android phone.

OLO 3D has launched a Kickstarter campaign for a super affordable 3D printer for your smartphone starting at $99, and within just a week, the campaign has gone viral and user response for the idea has excelled at an incredible rate. Out of the $80,000 goal, the campaign has already raised well over $1,100,000 as of this writing.

So how does it work?