Between the pandemic and the election, it’s been an insane year. Now that we have several vaccines on the way and the election results have been declared, we can all look forward to seeing what Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are coming. We’ve put together a few of our favorite deals from some brands you know — and a few you should consider — that you can shop, all from the safety of your home!
The new iPhone 12s are the best iPhones Apple has ever released. But they are pricey, with some models almost requiring you to take out a second mortgage. Protecting a device as expensive as the iPhone is more important than ever. Survivor offers four different levels of protection in a variety of colors and price points. Here’s a look.
I recently reviewed the Zepp E Circle, one of the most gorgeous and functional health-centric watches available. Zepp has already added another watch to their line — the Zepp Z. Made from a single block of polished titanium alloy with more of a traditional men’s watch design, the Zepp Z has a classic style that is loaded with smart features and intelligence-assisted fitness tracking.
Jabra has done a fantastic job with its true wireless earphones. The original Jabra Elite Sport was good, and they’ve only gotten better with each iteration. Now they’ve released the Jabra Elite 85t. It packs even more tech than the excellent Jabra Elite 75t and offers native active noise cancellation. But is the new offering better than the Jabra 75t?
When Apple introduced the iPhone 12, they also introduced their new MagSafe charging system and the new iPhone Leather Wallet with MagSafe. Pitaka offers something similar, the Pitaka MagEZ Card Sleeve, as part of their MagEZ line of cases. And while it only works with Pitaka’s cases, it does the same job but for half the price.
I’ve been a fan of Pitaka iPhone MagEZ cases for some time. Judie sent me one she had reviewed a number of years ago, and I haven’t looked back. The cases are thin, light, highly protective, and they work with Pitaka’s MagEZ line of accessories. Sure, Apple has MagSafe, but Pitaka was already doing something similar for years.
In addition to the Nomad Rugged Case for iPhone 12 we recently reviewed, we have also had a chance to check out the new Nomad Rugged Folio for the iPhone 12. It offers the same great protection as the Rugged Case while protecting the iPhone’s screen and letting you leave your wallet at home.
Nomad has released a range of new cases for the four versions of the iPhone 12. They sent a few samples for my iPhone 12 Pro, and, as usual, they are impressive. Here’s a quick look at the Nomad Rugged Case for the iPhone 12 Pro. Made from Horween leather and available in three different colors, they are gorgeous.
It’s stressful to be out and about and then suddenly realize that your smartphone’s battery is about to die. You can keep that from happening with one of the latest Aukey power banks. Each of these delivers up to 18W of power with PD 3.0 output (USB Type-C) and Quick Charge 3.0 output (USB Type-A), and they’ll work with all of your portable gear.
A few weeks ago, we reported that Ultimate Ears was releasing custom fit true wireless earbuds. Having reviewed Ultimate Ears UE CSX that were custom fit to my ears thanks to their innovative UE Fitkit, I was excited. UE FITS use slightly different technology, but they do indeed let you create custom earphones in just a few minutes.
Jabra recently announced their upcoming Elite 85t true wireless earphones. These will be the fourth generation of true wireless earphones from the company and the first to have native active noise cancellation. Sort of. Yesterday Jabra rolled out a firmware update to the Elite 75t/75t Active and added noise cancellation to those existing headsets. It’s impressive on many levels.
A little over a year ago, Shark Tank profiled an innovative wireless charging technology. The pitchers said they had thousands of pre-orders from one company. I immediately KNEW it must be Nomad. I was right, and Aira’s FreePower tech is in the new Nomad Base Station Pro Full-Surface Wireless Charger. It is a game-changer.
Word on the street is that Apple won’t be including a wall charger with their new iPhone 12 devices, but they’ll likely be selling an optional new 20W fast-charger. iPhone 12 buyers now have a choice to make: spend at least $30 on an Apple-branded 20W block, or take a look at the less expensive offerings from other companies. If you want one of the smallest fast-chargers available without paying Apple prices, a great choice would be the 20W Anker Power Port III Nano.
When I reviewed Ultimate Ears UE CSX and UE’s Fitkit that let you mold custom earphones at home, I mentioned that these would be ideal true wireless earphones. Now Ultimate Ears is making that happen with the custom-fit, true wireless UE FITS. I’ve been waiting for custom true wireless earphones, and I can’t wait to check them out.
If you’ve paid attention to any of the leaks regarding Apple’s iPhone 12, you’ll notice that one of the essential items the brand is slated not to include is a power brick to charge your new phone! Luckily, the AUKEY Omnia Nano 20W PD Charger is available and affordable ahead of the latest iPhone launch.
Cleer Audio has a history of having great audio products that come complete with a modest price and a design that’s both ergonomic and stylish. And their latest creation, Goal, is even more of what you’d expect from the company.
One of the things that I used to love about MacBooks was their MagSafe charger; it would quickly and easily plug in, and if someone jerked the cable while you were working, it would simply disconnect from the port without sending your expensive laptop clattering to the floor. The iCharge Pro Cable uses a similar idea, but it works with USB Type-C, Apple Lightning, and MicroUSB mobile devices.
If you find yourself dreading multiple power bricks to charge all of your devices, and you are looking for an all-in-one solution that you certainly won’t leave behind, the Chargeasap Omega might be the device you need to add to your shopping cart.
If you’ve been taking your laptop to the park to get some much-needed vitamin D (as well as a change of scenery), you’ll immediately see the value of the Multiflexstand Universal Smartphone Mount. It’s a slim aluminum device holder that adheres to the side or top of your laptop, giving you a place to put your phone while working.
Almost a decade ago, Judie introduced me to a product from a new company called Nomad. It was the ChargeKey, a keychain attachment with a USB on one side, and a Lightning connector on the other. Little did I know Nomad would become one of my favorite accessory companies. On their 8th anniversary, the savings are yours for the taking.
True wireless earbuds aren’t a new thing — they’ve been a few years, and they have moved from status symbol to everyday carry. I’ve never been able to embrace them because earbuds, in general, truly bother my ears. So while I had low expectations for enjoying the LinearFlux Hypersonic, I was absolutely blown away once I used them.