Apple iPhone Gear

Just Mobile AluFrame for iPhone 5 Review

Leave it to our friends at Just Mobile to get the aluminum bumper frame for the iPhone 5 just right. Yes, Just Mobile AluFrame for the iPhone 5 is an aluminum bumper that makes all the right moves. It’s gorgeous and refined, protects the sides and edges of the iPhone admirably, and, perhaps best of all, I’m not seeing any signal degradation when I use it. That last point is particularly striking considering the fact that this aluminum frame doesn’t have any cuts or openings in it. (Many companies looking to create an aluminum frame without signal degradation resorted to…


Findables Cases for iPhone 5 and iPad mini Review

The more I review tech accessories, the more I find that I’m less inclined to use gadgets that rely on app-gimmicks than ever before. What I mean by that is, if there is something that lends itself to having a specialized application great. But if the inclusion of an app is a little more than a gimmick that differentiates the case from the other players in that space, I’m not interested. That’s why I wanted to check out some of the cases from Findables; Findables describes itself as offering the first cases that come with an app. Findables makes a…


3 to 5 Hours of Streamed Music from the MiPow Boom mini? Not Even Close!

We brought an exclusive first look at the MiPow Boom mini (read the post), and then we shared the first ever review of the diminutive new speaker coming from MiPow. As you might recall, Judie and I met with MiPow in January when they were showing off their newest offerings at CES 2013. We were impressed by the company and its products and were glad that the company, unknown in the US but widely popular internationally, was finally bringing their products State-side. Here’s our unboxing of the MiPow Boom mini. So here’s the thing, the MiPow Boom mini sounds great,…


Just Mobile AluCup iPhone Accessory Review

Just Mobile has made some of our favorite iPhone and Mac accessory. We met with the company at CES 2013, and they showed us a few of their upcoming products. One of them, the AluCup, struck me as one of their less compelling products. Still, there was something about it that intrigued me, and I looked forward to using and reviewing it. They sent one to us, so let’s take a look at this cup-shaped iPhone and iPad stand. The Just Mobile AluCup is the result of a combination of an aluminium cup-shaped frame that provides rigidity and a rubber insert…


Pelican ProGear Vault Series iPhone 5 Case Review

When you make the decision to go for a rugged iPhone case, the choice usually comes with a few trade-offs.  In order to protect your case from drops, water, or other unfriendly conditions, bulky cases are usually needed.  Typical trade-offs with these rugged cases include things like diminished physical button functionality or a less sensitive touchscreen due to the install of a protective layer.  As you might expect, the best rugged iPhone cases make their owners accept the least amount of trade-offs; the Pelican ProGear Vault Series CE1180 makes a few too many trade-offs. I’ll first explain that I’m more…


Rokform Rokshield v3 and v3 Suction Mount for iPhone 5 Review

Some weeks ago, I had the opportunity to review the Rokform Rokshield v3 for iPhone 5 (read the review). The case itself offers nice protection, but that wasn’t what stood out for me. No, what stood out when I reviewed the case at the time was the numerous possibilities a case like this afforded any iPhone user. Why is that so? Simple, the Rokform Rokshield v3 for iPhone 5 is more a system than it is a case. The Rokform Rokshield v3 for iPhone 5 is a hard case, but it also ships with a rubber bumper that wraps around it…


Pebble E-Paper Watch for iPhone and Android Review

Back in early May of 2012, Dan posted an article about both Judie and him supporting the Pebble e-Paper Watch Kickstarter project. The project became noteworthy in that it became one of the most heavily supported Kickstarter projects in Kickstarter history. Initially hoping to raise $100,000, it meet that goal two hours after going live. In less than a week it raised nearly $5 million dollars — talk about interest in a project! While the concept of smartwatches was not new, the notion of a dual Android/iOS notification smartwatch that could support 3rd party applications and be extremely customizable was very intriguing…


Divoom OnBeat X1 Portable Bluetooth Speaker Review

To be honest, most of my gaming — whether on PC, Mac, DS, PSP, iOS, or Android — is done with headphones or the device muted. There are a couple of reasons for this: first, to allow for ‘gaming anywhere’; the second is that ever since playing games such as Thief in the late 90s, I have appreciated directional sound and the nuances of quality headphones. But sometimes, when playing a shooter, what I really want is a nice booming rattle – but that won’t happen with an iPad. Now Divoom introduces the OnBeat X1 and promises the ‘ultimate gaming…


White Tuxedo Monster DNA Headphones Review

  In the realm of headphones the quip, “It’s better to look good than to feel good” might well be rendered as “It’s better to look good than to sound good.”. In both cases, the statement is obviously nonsense. Just ask anyone with chronic inflammatory arthritis…  it doesn’t matter a bit what you look like if you feel awful. Similarly if headphones looks great but don’t sound good, then they really aren’t worth a thing. That was, honestly, my concern when we were asked to review and then give away a pair of the White Tuxedo Monster DNA headphones that…


Turtle Shell Boombox, Is It the Bluetooth Speaker for You?

Bluetooth speakers are pretty much everywhere you look; there’s the granddaddy of them all — the rectangular JawBone JamBox. There’s the strikingly similar rectangular shaped Braven 600 speaker that adds an external battery for charging your devices. If you want the speaker that stands up tall rather than sitting low you might want to check out the SuperTooth Disco 2. If round is more important, then you’ll definitely want to check out the impressive and well-priced JBL Flip. If you want something that’s got more curves than the JamBox and is far tougher, then you’ll definitely want to check out the…


Nuu MiniKey Keyboard for iPhone 5 Review

I trace my history with portable digital devices back to the early days – I grabbed the HP95LX, the first real ‘handheld computer’ when it came out in 1991, and have had a myriad of devices including the Newton, as well as various Psion, Windows CE, Handheld PC, Palm, Pocket PC devices. More recently I have had a string of iPads as well as Android smartphone and tablet devices, and now I have an iPhone. For more than two decades there was one common characteristic on all of my favorite devices — a physical keyboard. I’ve had a few months…


SPIGEN SGP Linear Blitz Phone 5 Case Review

SPIGEN SGP has done it again with their Linear Blitz for iPhone 5. Yes, the company has been on a roll with their iPhone 5 cases, and the SPIGEN SGP Linear Blitz for iPhone 5 is yet another case that brings qualities, plenty of “extras” and good protection at an impressive price. How impressive is the pricing on the Linear Blitz? For under $32 you get a case with a real aluminum back plate, a quality screen protector, a cleaning cloth and three Jelly Bean Home Buttons; I would say that is a remarkably good value! Here’s a video look at…


Wind Up Your Car Trip with a Winding Cable Car Charger

  A great bane of connected driving can often be pesky power cables snaking across the car’s dashboard console, looking for all the world like albino spaghetti for iPhone users. What to do if the cable in question is too long and bowing out dangerously close to your arm, just itching for a wayward hand or elbow to catch the cable? Just as equally important, when the car trip is over do you loosely wind up the cable, throw it in your glove compartment and hope for the best? Well our ever intrepid friends at USBFever.com have introduced their Car…


MiPow Boom Bluetooth Speaker Review

We posted our review of the MiPow Boom mini the other day. (Read it.) The speaker is tiny but the sound is anything but tinny. I’m impressed by the sound such a small speaker is able to pump out and I still can’t believe that, after using the speaker pretty continually since we got here to Jamaica, I still have not had to charge it. There is no question in my mind that MiPow’s battery rating is more than a bit conservative. The company also sent me the first ever review sample of the MiPow Boom. This speaker, the larger…


The Scosche boomBOTTLE Is a Ruggedized Portable Speaker for Tunes on the Go

We’ve reviewed a host of different Bluetooth speakers but never one quite like this. The Scosche boomBOTTLE is a new mobile speaker that is ideal for streaming music while biking, hiking, camping and more. The boomBOTTLE not only has a unique design, but it has the features to match. A durable non-slip, shock absorbing TPU exterior is strong enough to withstand drops or vibrations caused from rough terrain, which makes it perfect for biking. An IP4X rated weatherproof construction means you can use the boomBOTTLE even when it is wet outside. The boomBOTTLE even features sealed dustproof speaker grills. The…


Slickwraps Add Colorful Skins to Your New Pebble Watch

The other day I received my Kickstarter Pebble Watch in the mail, and I was excited as you might imagine. However, as I began to use it, I quickly noticed how well the device face ergonomics might lend itself to skinning and screen protection. As it turns out, Slickwraps.com has released attractive skins to do just that with their Wraps for the Pebble Watch. Now Pebble Watch owners can choose one of 38 skins to customize their Pebbles the way they want. The skins boast an accurate Pebble face template, and cover not only the periphery around the watch face but…


MiPow Boom mini Bluetooth Speaker Review

I will admit to having gone into my review of the MiPow Boom and MiPow Boom mini Bluetooth speakers positively inclined toward both products. After all, when Judie and I met with Brian Holmes,  vice president and general manager of MiPow, back at CES in January we were immediately impressed by the attention to quality and detail the company put into their mobile accessories. During our meeting we got to check out their range of external batteries and liked what we saw. We learned about their Bluetooth headsets and were anxious to try them out. And, at the end of CES, we…


Introducing The Mood Simple Shell iPhone 5 Case

I am sure we have all had or seen the old mood ring. You know the ring that changed colors and could show others how you were feeling. If you do not remember the rings, surely you wore a hyper color t-shirt back in the late 80’s. For those wondering where these stylish technologies have gone, you are in luck. What better way to show your colors than on the back of an iPhone 5? Grantwood Technology is now shipping the Mood Simple Shell case for the iPhone 5 which will react to the temperature of your skin and change…


LifeProof Launches Total Water Protection Program for iPhone and iPad

I got my hands on a LifeProof case for the iPhone shortly after the line launched. I was impressed by how great the LifeProof case was at keeping my smartphone safe. In fact, shortly after I got the LifeProof case I was in a T-Mobile store buying a hotspot sim card. Someone asked me if it was one of those new LifeProof cases. I threw my iPhone across the store and while it was in mid air I said, “I certainly hope so.” I was THAT confident the phone would be fine. It was. At the time, however, I was…


Pelican ProGear Cases for the iPhone 5 Now Shipping

Judie and I spent time at the Pelican Booth during CES 2013 back in January. While there we saw their assortment of heavy-duty coolers, their line of Pelican ProGear backpacks and their upcoming Pelican ProGear Cases for the iPhone 5. The Pelican ProGear Cases are now shipping and offer a great addition to the growing number of tough cases available for Apple’s current smartphone offering. The first of the Pelican ProGear Cases for the iPhone 5 is the Pelican ProGear Vault. The ProGear Vault is super-tough and adds great protection from the elements. In addition it offers “insulating elastomeric shock…


Noreve Tradition D for iPhone 5 Case Review

Noreve offers some of the most beautiful leather device cases available. Their Tradition D case for the Apple iPhone 5 is no exception. Made from “top quality handcrafted leather”, the Noreve Tradition D has a thermoplastic polymer inner structure to hold your iPhone in place while the leather provides a soft, classy look and feel. That means you get all the protection you want without fear of any signal interference. The Noreve Tradition D for iPhone 5 has an “easy-to-close” cover that stays shut without the need for a magnetic or snap closure. If you have used a case with…