Aluminum

Element Case’s Black Ops Elite case for iPhone 11 Pro looks great, but costs a small fortune

Anthony Bouchard ∙ October 14, 2019

Going beyond the familiar world of traditional rubber, silicone, or TPU smartphone cases, I often find myself experimenting with substitutions that seem vastly out of the ordinary. While testing such cases for the brand-new iPhone 11 Pro, I happened upon the Element Case Black Ops Elite, which in my opinion, certainly lives up to the notion of being extraordinary.

Element Case’s Black Ops Elite case is built from a bevy of premium materials that you won’t find in most run of the mill iPhone cases, including a hard anodized aluminum frame that gets bolted into a sturdy G10 backplate, and a Dropshock-equipped TPU inner shell lined with a premium felt interior that gives your iPhone all the pampering and protection it needs.

Apple invests $10 million in aluminum smelting method without greenhouse gas emission

Christian Zibreg ∙ May 10, 2018

Apple, Alcoa Corporation and Rio Tinto Aluminum have formed a joint venture to develop a breakthrough aluminum smelting method without greenhouse gas emission. The iPhone maker will invest $10 million in the project.

LaCie Porsche design USB-C portable hard drive is a stylish partner for your MacBook

Andrew O'Hara ∙ September 26, 2017

Most major manufacturers have been steadily upgrading their external drives to take advantage of USB-C and Thunderbolt 3. Now that Apple has replaced all their ports on their latest machines, we've seen more and more hit the market. One of the earliest adopters is LaCie who brought their chic Porsche design to their USB-C mobile drive.

Two new finishes coming to Apple Watch: Blush Gold aluminum & Gray ceramic

Christian Zibreg ∙ September 9, 2017

According to the iOS 11 GM firmware leaks that are making rounds on the web, Apple could be readying two new case materials and color finishes for Apple Watch, one referred to as Blush Gold and clad in aluminum and the other a new Gray ceramic material.

Twelve South’s BookArc stand for Apple notebooks now available in Space Gray

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 1, 2017

Twelve South just launched a new Space Gray color option for its popular BookArc stand for MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro on Thursday.

It's intended to look great with the OEM Space Gray color Apple offers for its MacBook with Retina display and 2016 MacBook Pro (with or without the Touch Bar), and it joins the classic silver finish, made to match the standard aluminum finish of the previous generation MacBook Pro, along with other notebooks in Apple's lineup.

Twelve South’s Fermata charging stand keeps your wireless headphones organized

Anthony Bouchard ∙ Updated August 30, 2023

With the removal of the 3.5mm headphone jack on the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus, it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to predict that many people will be moving to wireless Bluetooth headphones instead of wired ones.

Twelve South’s new Fermata charging stand for wireless headphones is a great accessory to have if you’re one of those people. It’ll keep your headphones out of your way on your desk while they charge, and it looks great too!

A look at how the new iPhone 7 & 7 Plus perform in drop tests

Anthony Bouchard ∙ September 17, 2016

Every year when a new iPhone comes out, you can expect to see drop test videos that see just how durable the device is.

In this post, we'll show you some of the best drop test videos for the iPhone 7 & 7 Plus.

Apple Watch Series 2 is a bit thicker and heavier than the original Apple Watch

Anthony Bouchard ∙ September 8, 2016

Although they look just about the same on the outside, the new Apple Watch Series 2 is built just a little bit thicker and heavier than the Apple Watch Series 1 and the original Apple Watch.

The findings might be a deal-breaker for some people who already thought the original Apple Watch was too thick to begin with. After all, many were hoping Apple would thin out the footprint of the next-generation Apple Watch, rather than make it thicker.

Twelve South’s BookArc is a lightweight and stylish Apple notebook stand

Anthony Bouchard ∙ June 24, 2016

I like me a good notebook stand for the simple fact that it helps clear unwanted clutter from my desk when I need it for something other than a computer. Plus, it kind of organizes things and makes everything look neater.

Twelve South is probably one of the best brand names you can buy for this sort of thing, and in this review, we'll be showing you the Twelve South BookArc for all models of Apple's MacBook, MacBook Air, and MacBook Pro.

iQunix makes an affordable, high-quality stand for MacBook

Anthony Bouchard ∙ May 15, 2016

If you're looking for a durable aluminum stand for your Apple notebook, then don't count out iQunix. Although the popular brand names look appealing and are tried and true, we had the chance to go hands-on with the iQunix Edin, which is also a very high-quality stand for all MacBook models, all this at a lower price.

In this review, we'll show you how the iQunix Edin looks and touch on its build quality and features. Don't be shy; we think you're gonna like it!

Elemental composition of iPhone 6s shell points to a significantly stronger Bendgate-proof body

Christian Zibreg ∙ August 19, 2015

The upcoming 'iPhone 6s' and 'iPhone 6s Plus' phones are expected to use a stronger 7000 Series aluminum body. A custom alloy designed for the Apple Watch Sport, 7000 Series aluminum is sixty percent stronger than standard aluminum alloys and just as light.

An elemental composition analysis of a claimed iPhone 6s shell performed by MacRumors gives us a deeper insight into the next iPhones' Bendgate-proof body.

For starters, the claimed part showed high iron levels of around eight percent on average. Not only does using iron enhance durability but makes the material easier to work with during the casting process.

Apple said to adopt Apple Watch Sport’s strong 7000 Series aluminum for next iPhone

Christian Zibreg ∙ Updated November 9, 2016

Taiwan's Economic Daily News reported Thursday that Apple will adopt 7000 Series aluminum for the next iPhone, a custom alloy the company developed for the Apple Watch Sport.

The iPhone maker says that the 7000 Series aluminum used to make the entry-level Watch is sixty percent stronger than standard alloys but just as light, meaning the chassis of the upcoming iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus could be significantly more durable than that of the current iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus models.