Accessories

D-Link’s 180-degree home surveillance camera with HomeKit support hits Apple.com

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 15, 2017

D-Link's Omna 180 Cam HD Camera is now available to purchase from Apple.com, priced at $200. Unveiled at CES 2017 last month, D-Link's new accessory for the connected home is certified for Apple's HomeKit platform, meaning users can control it in the stock Home app on their iPhone or iPad.

Omna 180 Cam HD Camera files as the world's first home surveillance accessory that comes with native HomeKit video integration.

The smart home device features a 180-degree wide angle lens capable of capturing an entire room, Full HD 1080p video resolution, two-way audio, night vision up to 16 feet (five meters), even in complete darkness, and a microSD card slot.

Apple reportedly pulls LG’s new 5K monitor from sale over hardware issues

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 13, 2017

Here's another proof Apple should have thought twice before exiting the standalone display business—the company was forced to suspend sales of LG's new 5K monitor that launched last fall along with the new MacBook Pro following a flurry of complaints from users, ranging from screen flickering to interference with nearby routers to problems with Thunderbolt, Business Insider reported Monday morning.

Apple Stores have stopped carrying the $974 LG UltraFine 5K Display for now. It continues to be available through Apple.com, with a shipping time of 5-6 weeks and no options for pickup in Apple Stores. Maybe now would be the perfect time to revive the phased-out Apple Thunderbolt Display?

Following delay, Apple’s W1-equipped BeatsX are now available for purchase

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 10, 2017

Following an extended delay, Apple's BeatsX earphones are now available for purchase from Apple.com, Apple’s retail stores and other retailers. The $150 earphones file as Apple's most affordable audio product powered by the in-house designed W1 wireless chip, also found in the $160 AirPods, $200 PowerBeats3 and $300 Beats Solo3 headphones. The W1 chip enables seamless iCloud pairing with Apple devices and reliable wireless audio connection. BeatsX also work on non-Apple hardware as standard Bluetooth headsets.

The earbuds sport 8-hour battery life and come with a Siri-compatible RemoteTalk with built-in playback controls that let you control your music without using Siri.

The Mujjo Sleeve looks classy and keeps your Mac notebook safe as you travel

Anthony Bouchard ∙ February 10, 2017

If you bring your MacBook, MacBook Air, or MacBook Pro with you everywhere you go, then you should consider protecting your expensive investment with some kind of sleeve.

Because the outside world can be a lot rougher than the comfort and safety of your home computer desk, Mujjo makes classy protective sleeves that will fit every one of Apple’s notebooks. In this review, we’ll be showing you the Mujjo Sleeve for the 15” MacBook Pro.

The best HomeKit accessories

Cody Lee ∙ Updated July 10, 2018

In 2014, Apple announced a new connected devices platform called HomeKit, with the hopes of making smart home technology easier and more accessible. It sounds complex, but the gist of it is you can control HomeKit-compatible appliances with your iPhone or Siri.

To make it easier to find the best HomeKit-compatible accessories, we've put together a list of some of our favorites. We made our selections based on a handful of factors including price, features, user feedback and of course our own personal experience with the products.

All BeatsX purchases come with three free months of Apple Music

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 9, 2017

Apple's W1-equipped BeatsX earphones with a new flexible neckband design should be available to purchase this Friday in Black or White along with a pair of new color options: Gray and Blue. A few hands-on videos have gone live ahead of the official launch.

Comparing BeatsX to AirPods, YouTuber Jonathan Morrison has discovered that all purchases of BeatsX come with a code that customers can redeem for three free months of Apple Music (on top of Apple Music's existing three-month free trial).

BeatsX earphones will be available to buy this Friday, two new colors added

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 7, 2017

Corroborating yesterday's report, CNET today said that the upcoming BeatsX earphones with the Apple W1 wireless chip and a new neckband design will be launching this Friday, February 10, in the United States. The earbuds will be available to purchase from Apple.com and company-owned retail stores. Aside from the existing Black and White color options, CNET has learned that the $150 accessory will be available in two additional finishes, Gray and Blue, following this Friday's launch.

Apple taps an old plug to ease connectivity and adapter woes with Lightning headphones

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 6, 2017

Apple will soon allow vendors who design MFi-certified accessories to build support for an obscure but already-existent port in order to ease some of the connectivity and adapter woes associated with Lightning-based headphones. 9to5Mac reported that the company might market UAC, an intermediary in headphone cables, as “Ultra Accessory Connector” (UAC).

Citing sources at Apple, The Verge adds that UAC is an old plug you might have seen with your Nikon DSLR camera rather than a proprietary new connector type from Apple. Apple's ultimate goal with UAC, The Verge claims, is making Lightning and USB-C work better together rather than replacing them with a brand new I/O port.

BeatsX earphones briefly showed as in stock in select Apple Stores ahead of launch

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 6, 2017

Following a recent delay of Beats X Bluetooth earphones with Apple-designed W1 wireless chip, they briefly showed as in stock in select Apple Stores this morning suggesting either an imminent launch (not very likely) or limited availability later this week (more likely). The earbuds use a flexible cord that lets them hang around your neck when not in use. Announced at the September 2016 iPhone 7 event, the accessory sports 8-hour battery life, a Siri-compatible RemoteTalk with built-in playback controls and a Lightning port for charging.

And with Fast Fuel technology, BeatsX customers will be able to get approximately two hours of playback time with a quick five-minute charge.

Gravitas iPhone dock by Henge Docks is both hefty and low key

Anthony Bouchard ∙ February 3, 2017

I do a lot of work at my office desk at home, and for that reason alone, I have a love for things that help keep my work space uncluttered. One of the things I like to have that helps with that is a good quality dock that I can use to put my iPhone or iPad somewhere without it taking up much real estate where I’ll be putting my papers or elbows.

The Gravitas dock by Henge Docks is a good choice, and in this review, we’ll give you an up-close look at it.

Nomad’s Horween leather case for iPhone crosses luxury with protection

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated October 17, 2018

When it comes to choosing the right leather case for your iPhone, the market can be quite congested at times, making it a difficult choice in terms of what brand to go with. After all, you really don’t want to compromise on quality or features, but at the same time, you probably also don’t want to break the bank.

A great option to go with is that of the Nomad Horween leather collection. These cases are made to look and feel fancy, all while keeping your iPhone nice and protected from everyday life. In this review, we’ll be talking all about it and its many color options to pick from.

Apple updates AirPods firmware to version 3.5.1

Christian Zibreg ∙ February 1, 2017

Apple today updated the firmware on AirPods. The company did not publish the official changelog at post time so we don't know what this new firmware update provides in terms of new features aside from bug fixes and performance improvements, but we'll make sure to update the article as soon as we find out more. The new software bumps the AirPods firmware from the initial version 3.3.1 to version 3.5.1.