It's too early to tell whether or not Apple's latest one-port Mac notebook spells doom for MagSafe, Apple's proprietary magnetically attached power connectors. Be that as it may, a duo of entrepreneurial engineers is taking a page from Apple's book to implement magnets on the types of connectors we use the most.
Magzet, a new Kickstarter project by Jon Hallsten and Jeff Russell, is aiming to do for standard 3.5mm audio jacks what MagSafe has done for Apple notebooks.
In the market for a smartphone case that offers reasonable protection and doesn't bulk up your iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus? Look no further than the SurfacePad, a stylish, ultra-slim protection for your precious pocket computer by Twelve South, the premium maker of Apple-exclusive accessories.
Unveiled in November 2014, the SurfacePad is a leather jacket that doesn't conceal key design elements of Apple's gorgeous new iPhones. It's going to appeal to fashion conscious types like yours truly who like their iPhones naked.
But how does it hold up in everyday life and, more crucially, over longer periods of use? Having used the SurfacePad exclusively as my iPhone 6 Plus case for the past four months, here's what I was able to gather from my hands-on experience with it.
Monday, fitness tracker maker Fitbit took pre-emptive steps ahead of Apple Watch launch next month, giving its fitness bands new features.
The company announced a new outdoor bike-tracking feature on its $249 Surge fitness tracker. In addition, it rolled out multi-tracker support allowing users to easily switch between multiple Fitbit models throughout the day. Multi-band support allows Fitbit fans to register up to six fitness trackers in their Fitbit account, one of each model.
The system then automatically pings the user when she or he switches trackers.
Now that the iPhone screen size is so much larger, a thick case is out of the question for most people. Protecting your iPhone 6 while maintaining the slim feel is not that easy, considering even a quarter of an inch makes a huge difference.
Spigen’s Air Skin Soft Clear case is thin enough to cover your case with the thickness of a piece of cloth, so the added coat is practically unnoticeable.
With April's launch of the Apple Watch on the horizon, we're starting to see first adapters designed to let Watch wearers use their device with third-party watch bands, not just Apple's.
Advertised as the first and patent pending adapter for standard straps for the Apple Watch, the Adappt by four Italian students, two of which are behind the inCharge, a tiny keyring USB charging cable, has now launched on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo.
The Adappt lets you wear your Apple Watch with any band. But don't let this quite simple idea fool you, the Adappt is quite ingenious.
Hot on the heels of unveiling its HiRise charging stand for the Apple Watch, premium accessory maker Twelve South on Wednesday announced another interesting accessory. This one attaches to the bottom of any MacBook and folds up to an instant stand akin to Apple's Smart Cover for iPad.
The BaseLift typing stand, as they're calling it, is a remarkable 3.7 millimeter thin, has a microfiber-layered pad and stays attached to the bottom of your MacBook all the time, so you’ll never forget it.
It is slim. It is clean. It protects your iPhone without calling attention to it. It is Elago’s S6 Slimfit2, and minimalists will appreciate its subtleness and unassuming design.
If you prefer simplicity when protecting your gadgets, the S6 Slimfit2 has an ultra low profile made from flexible and durable polycarbonate available in 15 different colors. The soft texture case uses double-coating with an over paint and under paint to improve grip while keeping germs and bacteria from being able to stick to it.
Accessory maker Nomad has created a “methodically designed, expertly crafted” stand for your Apple Watch that is just as pretty and functional as Apple's wrist-worn gizmo. Dubbed the Stand, it suspends your Watch mid-air while providing MagSafe access to its Zirconia backing.
Another accessory called the Pod will be available as well, basically a mobile charging solution for your device with a built-in rechargeable 1,800mAh lithium polymer battery that quadruples your Apple Watch battery life.
Apple is halting sales of competing fitness bands, as it prepares to launch the Apple Watch next month. As noted by Recode earlier today, several Apple stores have begun pulling Jawbone and Nike devices from their shelves, and a quick search of the US web store returns similar results.
The Cupertino firm made a similar move in the fall of last year, pulling FitBit products from its shelves. This may be a bit less significant, though, given Jawbone's smaller marketshare and Nike's decision to focus its efforts on fitness software rather than produce anymore FuelBand hardware.
Following a bit of backlash that Apple has only chosen to include a USB-C port on the new MacBook, LaCie is working to appease customers with the first external hard drive and accessory for the new Apple creation. Unveiled on Tuesday, the Porsche Design Mobile Drive has been updated to perfectly suit the new Mac with USB-C.
Sad news for those of you who use the power extension cable that comes with the MacBook Air and the MacBook Pro: Apple's newest addition to the venerable notebook line no longer comes bundled with said cable.
That's bad news for those of you who aren't always in a situation where it's easy to use plug the power brick directly into the wall outlet. It also means that your MacBook is now on a much shorter leash when it comes to charging.
This change, coupled with the device's lack of a MagSafe connector, could spell trouble for those of you who need to, you know, work while charging your MacBook. It seems to me like this combination would greatly increase the potential for an accident.
But there is some good news in all of this. Apple will sell you an extension cable separately for only $19.00.
One of the biggest public concerns regarding the Apple Watch seems to be its battery life. While other smartwatches, such as the Pebble, claim life of up to 10 days, the Cupertino wearable is said to last for less than 24 hours.
But John Arrow and ex-Nike staffer Lane Musgrave are looking to change that with the 'Reserve Strap.' It features embedded lithium polymer cells and an inductive charging cradle to keep your Apple Watch going strong.