Review

Leave your wallet at home with the Q Card Case for iPhone 6s

Cody Lee ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

Earlier this week, Lory told you about the CM4 Q Card Case, a hard plastic case that doubles as a wallet. I've been trying out the Limited Edition leather version of the Q over the past few days, so I wanted to offer up some insight on the accessory for those considering buying it.

Evaluating an iPhone case essentially boils down to answering two simple questions: does it look good? And is it functional? If the answer to both is yes, the case is usually a winner. If both answers are no, then it's usually not. If the answer to one question is yes and the other is no, you just have to decide which is more important to you. And that seems like a good place to start this review.

Review: Spigen Slim Armor Volt wireless charging case

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated April 19, 2018

In addition to Spigen's GLAS.tR SLIM screen protector, I've been using its Slim Armor Volt wireless charging case for my iPhone 6s Plus. Spigen sent me a care package filled with a boatload of cases, and this one was by far the most intriguing to me.

There are a good number of Android phones that feature wireless charging capabilities out of the box, but there has never been such a feature for the iPhone. Instead, iOS users will need to opt for some sort of third-party wireless charging case solution, and the Spigen Slim Armor Volt fits the bill.

How well does it work? Watch our full video review and see for yourself.

Review: Password Chef—enjoy untethered password entry with recipes

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated March 17, 2019

The App Store offers several high-quality apps that help you create strong passwords for various services, manage your passwords and synchronize them between devices with ease, AgileBits' freemium 1Password being perhaps the most popular one.

But there's now a brand new password manager on the block which takes a clever approach to securing all your online accounts with strong passwords but without having to actually remember them.

How about re-creating passwords from recipes?

Welcome to Naranja Studio's Password Chef, a novel $2.99 app for the iPhone, iPod touch and iPad which takes advantage of unique recipes to basically turn any site name into an easy-to-recall password, canceling the need for additional software or devices.

Lifeline 2 review: 3 Minute Games gets magical

Lory Gil ∙ Updated October 9, 2015

When Apple Watch first launched, 3 Minute Games made a huge impression with its choose-your-own-adventure game, Lifeline, designed for the wrist worn device. It is a simple text-based game where players help a character on the other end survive. It was a huge hit with Apple Watch owners.

Lifeline 2 is out now and it is definitely a proper follow up to the first game. It has all the same charm as its predecessor, but has an entirely new story and includes some new features to make players happy. We've got a full game review of Lifeline 2 for your reading enjoyment.

Gruber: Optical Image Stabilization in the iPhone 6s Plus makes a big difference for video

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 22, 2015

It's one of those things where you don't know how noticeable it's going to be until you actually try it in hand. But tonight, we have it on good authority that Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) makes a noticeable difference when shooting video with the iPhone 6s Plus' camera. So much so, that it can make choosing between the 6s Plus and the regular-sized iPhone 6s, a device that lacks OIS, tougher than last year.

A few hours ago, Daring Fireball's John Gruber posted his annual iPhone review, and while the entire piece is a well-thought-out and nuanced read, one portion in particular stood out to me the most—his thoughts on OIS for the iPhone 6s Plus.

Review: iTranslate 9.0 is the closest thing yet to the killer Apple Watch app

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 22, 2015

Now that the watchOS 2 software update has released to the general public, a healthy debate is developing amongst my techie friends about the benefits that native apps are supposed to enable.

The long story short, native apps run directly on the device and talk to its underlying hardware and sensors so most tasks should feel faster and smoother than before.

For instance, apps can now play sounds through the Apple Watch's speakerphone and take voice input from its built-in mic. To test how this works in the real world, I've spent a few hours with iTranslate by Sonico Mobile GmbH, arguably the best translator app you can put on your wrist to overcome language barriers, Star Trek-style.

iPhone 6s review roundup: 3D Touch a major innovation, amazing cameras, fast performance

Jeff Benjamin ∙ September 22, 2015

The iPhone 6s review embargo lifted this morning, and as is always the case, many outlets immediately published their reviews. Those reviewing the new iPhone 6s have been able to use the new digs for almost two weeks, which is plenty of time to form an accurate opinion.

The consensus? The iPhone 6s is a performance beast, and features amazing camera quality. But what stood out to me most about nearly all of the reviews were the thoughts on 3D Touch. In a nearly unanimous chorus, reviewers praised the iPhone 6s' flagship feature, which allows users to press on the screen to access new menus and features.

Sky review: a game that is as simple as its name

Lory Gil ∙ September 21, 2015

With all the new features in iOS 9, it is quite a frenzy of excitement around here. It can sometimes be hard to remember to appreciate the simple things in life, like the smell of summer rain or the first leaves of fall, or a cool minimalist game.

Sky is a simple tapping game with an appealing minimalist visual aesthetic that relaxes and invigorates at the same time. I know I sound like I'm talking about soap, but if you play the game, you'll know what I mean. We've got a game review of Sky for you today.

Review: Motorola Moto X Pure Edition from an iPhone user’s perspective

Jeff Benjamin ∙ Updated June 13, 2018

As you guys know, I'm a fan of the Moto G—Motorola's off-contract budget phone that packs in a surprising amount of good features for a super-cheap price. As I stated in my review, the Moto G is a good choice for anyone wishing to dip their toes into the Android waters, or for anyone who needs a cheap second smartphone.

The Moto X Pure Edition ($399.99 on Amazon), is a whole different beast altogether. It looks similar to the Moto G in build material, but it's way bigger, has a 5.7" QHD screen at 1440p, a 21 megapixel rear-facing shooter, a front-facing flash, captures 4K video, and features extremely fast charging.

Unlike the budget Moto G, the Moto X Pure Edition is Motorola's de facto flagship offering for 2015. At $399 for the base model, it's more than double the price of Motorola's popular Moto G, yet much cheaper than major "flagship" models from big named Android OEMs.

How does it stack up with the competition? How does it compare with the iPhone 6 Plus—its closest iOS competitor? Check out our full video review for all of the details.

Star Wars: Uprising review – the journey to ‘The Force Awakens’ has begun

Lory Gil ∙ Updated February 1, 2018

As a self-proclaimed Star Wars fan, I am both excited and have trepidations about the upcoming seventh installment. That does not, however, stop me from getting overly excited about the hype leading up to The Force Awakens, and that includes video games.

Star Wars: Uprising is being billed as the game that bridges the storyline between Return of the Jedi and TFA. While it may fill in the story gaps, is it a game worth investing your time in? We've got a full game review of Star Wars: Uprising for you today.

Review: Mia for Gmail is the perfect replacement for Google Notifier

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 14, 2015

If you need a fast and lightweight email client for Gmail without the bells and whistles (and bloat) of Apple Mail, you should give Mia for Gmail a whirl. Mia is a minimalist desktop email client for OS X by Stéphane Quéraud.

As opposed to copious minimalist Gmail clients that however wrap the web interface inside native OS X code, Mia provides the full native experience and sits right in your Mac's menu bar rather than run in Safari or Google Chrome.

In addition to showing you most recent emails, Mia allows you to compose new messages and jump through all your inboxes with unbelievable quickness. All in all, it's the perfect replacement for Google's defunct Gmail Notifier app.

The Walking Dead: Road to Survival review – play from the others’ point of view

Lory Gil ∙ September 11, 2015

The Walking Dead, which started as an indie comic in 2003 has, in the past decade, become the most popular zombie story since George Romero's Night of the Living Dead. There are TV shows, books, games, and more, based on Robert Kirkman's original adventure.

A recent addition to the mobile gaming world is The Walking Dead: Road to Survival, which is a city building game that incorporates battle elements. You can play alone to complete missions, or go on raids with your in-game faction to gain needed supplies. We've got a full game review of The Walking Dead: Road to Survival for you today.