Tag Archives: accessories

How do I make my child’s iPod touch safe?

How do I make my child’s iPod touch safe?

We have already discussed what is the best iPod for Kids, now let think about making your child’s iPod safe.  Technology has helped us with many options, giving us gadgets that are handy and easy to carry around. I am sure I am not the only one who has asked how do I make my child’s iPod Touch safe.  The problem however is the safety of these devices, especially when they are being used by our children.

Children can often be  careless about the way they carry these gadgets.  With the growing need for a slimmer device and more functionalities, these devices have grown to become more prone to damage caused if dropped by mistake. The question however is how to make your Child’s iPod Touch safe.  We are going to go through some of the key points you need to consider for the safety of the iPod Touch.

Screen Protector for the iPod Touch

The most fragile thing on the iPod Touch is that of the screen. Whether it is safety against scratches or breaking, a screen protector can help you against that. The glass protectors are readily available and they sit right on top of the screen and provide all the protection without looking like there is anything on top of the screen.

Set Up Find my Phone on the iPod Touch

Having an iPod Touch can possibly reduce several things that we would use on a regular basis earlier, such as a phone book, a photo album and a multimedia device. Think of losing a device where you have all your data stored, data that you most certainly want to keep away from the reach of anyone but yourself.

Find my Phone is a built-in application on the iPod Touch that uses the location services and the GPS module on the device in order to track the device in case you lose it. Children tend to forget their things more often and therefore there needs to be a mechanism for recovering it, find my Phone is the most appropriate application for that. If you are unable to track or recover the phone, the application provides you with the ability of deleting all the data on the phone remotely.

Get a Protective Case for your child’s iPod Touch

Kids have a habit of treating things rough, with a device as expensive as that of the iPod touch you need to ensure that there is sufficient protection against any kind of damage.

A Protective case is just the right place to start. The case is not going to save the iPod touch from falling but it will most certainly keep the body of the device from taken up any significant damage or scratches. The cases range from $20 up till $100, there are a bunch of options to choose from that can actually revamp the entire look of the iPod. Pick the most suitable one which is a combination of looks and safety.

Apple’s Extended Warranty

Apple offer a pretty decent warranty if you purchase the iPod Touch from the Apple Store. If you are thinking of purchasing the device for your child, you most certainly need to consider the probability of the device being damaged or broken.

Apple offers something known as Apple Care which is an extended warranty that costs around $100 and extends a full technical support and repair coverage for two years. The basic warranty coverage is just for 90 days.

Purchasing the iPod Touch with extended support is not a requirement, but if your child breaks things very often then you should definitely consider investing in the warranty. It keeps you covered for a longer period of time without worrying about the authenticity of parts purchased from outside of an apple store.

10 Best Wireless Charging Mats for iPhone X and iPhone 8

Top 10 Best Wireless Charging Mats for iPhone X and iPhone 8

In September 2017, Apple introduced wireless charging on its iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus smartphones. Whereas Android users have been enjoying this feature for half a decade, with the 2012 LG Nexus 4 being the first Android device to support the technology, Apple is so late to the party that the bar has already closed and there are no untouched alcoholic beverages left to celebrate its arrival.

Knowing that there’s an established wireless charging market, Apple has made the wise decision to meet current industry standards, known as Qi standards. As such, iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus can be charged with any wireless charger that supports the same standards—and there’s no shortage of such chargers. We have selected 10 wireless charging mats that deliver an excellent charging performance at affordable prices.

1. Samsung Wireless Charge Pad  for iPhone x and 8 / Plus

Samsung Wireless charging pod for iphone x iphone 8 iphone 8 plus

It may feel strange to you to charge your iPhone with a wireless charging pad made by Samsung, but we can assure you that the two will get along great. This popular Qi-certified wireless charger from Samsung offers reliability and rock-solid charging performance while giving you a choice between five colors to match your home décor. The charger has a multi-colored LED that indicates the current charging status to let you know when your phone is fully charged and ready.

2. Belkin Wireless Charge Pad for iPhone x and 8 / Plus

Belkin wireless charging pad for iphone x iphone 8 iphone 8 plusBelkin is a well-known American manufacturer of smartphone accessories and consumer electronics. The company has been in the smartphone charging game long enough to know how to design a wireless charger that can deliver up to 1 A output while looking stylish and being affordable. Included with the charging pad is an AC adapter, but Belkin also sells the same pad without the adapter at a lower price.

3. RAVPower Wireless Charging Mat for iPhone x and 8 / Plus

RAVPower Wireless Charging Pad for iphone x iphone 8 iphone plus

If you want the maximum wireless charging performance achievable, this wireless charging pad from RAVPower is an excellent choice. When connected to the included Quick Charge 3.0 power adapter, the RAVPower Wireless Charging Pad can charge your iPhone X, iPhone 8, or iPhone 8 Plus at up to 7.5 watts, provided you have the latest version of iOS. Compare this to standard wireless charging pads, which charge only at up to 5 watts, and it becomes obvious why it makes sense to pay extra for a fast wireless charger from RAVPower.

4. Seneo Wireless Charging Stand for iPhone x and 8 / Plus

Seneo Wireless Charging Stand for iphone x iphone 8 iphone plus

The biggest downside to wireless charging is the fact that it works only if your smartphone lays flat on the wireless charging pad. Once you get a notification and pick it up to look at the display, the charging interrupts. And if you’re someone who keeps getting notifications all the time, the charging progress might slow to a crawl. This wireless charging stand from Seneo has been designed specifically to solve this issue. It features a vertical charging coil that lets you keep your smartphone at such an angle that you don’t even need to pick it up to look at the display. Besides being convenient, the Seneo Wireless Charging Stand is also well made and works with all standard wall adapters.

5. SurgeDisk Bamboo Wireless Pad for iPhone x and 8 / Plus

SurgeDisk Bamboo Wireless Charging Mat for iphone x iphone 8 iphone plus

This ultra-slim wireless charge pad is made from bamboo, which gives it its own unique style that’s a welcome departure from the standard, and rather uninspired, design of most wireless charging pads. With all products that use their design as a selling point, there’s always the danger that their performance will leave something to be desired. Fortunately, the SurgeDisk Bamboo Wireless Pad is approved by FCC, RoHS, and CE, offering reliable wireless charging to all Qi-compatible devices.

6. TOZO Aviation Aluminum Wireless Charging Mat for iPhone x and 8 / Plus

TOZO Aviation Aluminium Wireless Charging Mat for iphone x iphone 8 iphone plus

If natural materials are not your thing, perhaps this aluminum wireless charge mat from TOZO will be more up your alley. At just 5 mm, it’s one of the thinnest wireless charging mats on the market, but that doesn’t mean that it can’t deliver the same or even better charging performance as mats that are twice as thick. The second you place your iPhone on the TOZO Aviation Aluminum Wireless Charging Mat, a soft LED light starts to breathe, letting you know when your device is fully charged.

7. Rioddas Wireless Charging Stand with a Built-In Fan for iPhone x and 8 / Plus

Rioddas Wireless Charging stand with built in fan for iphone x iphone 8 iphone plus

Wireless charging produces a lot of residual heat. This is usually not a problem, but it can become one if you charge your phone in a room without air conditioning. If you don’t want to risk overheating your expensive iPhone, you should consider buying this handy wireless charging stand from Rioddas, which has a built-in cooling fan. Apart from protecting your smartphone from damage, the cool air from the fan also makes wireless charging up to 1.2-times faster compared to traditional wireless charging stands.

8. iOttie Wireless Charging Car Mount for iPhone x and 8 / Plus iOttie Wireless Charging magnetic car mount for iphone x iphone 8 iphone plus

With the iOttie Wireless Charging Car Mount, you can enjoy the convenience of wireless charging even when driving your car. This charging car mount has a strong suction cup that allows you to easily install it on most windshields, and the telescopic arm with a ball joint at the end makes finding the right viewing angle effortless. The iOttie Wireless Charging Car Mount can fit all devices that are between 2.3 inches to 3.3 inches wide, which includes iPhone X, iPhone 8, and iPhone 8 Plus.

9. Thiatoo Wireless Charging Magnetic Car Mount for iPhone x and 8 / Plus

Thiatoo Wireless Charging magnetic car mount for iphone x iphone 8 iphone plusThis charging car mount features a strong magnet that makes charging while driving much easier. To use this mount, you need to stick an inconspicuous metal ring on the back of your smartphone so that the magnet inside the mount has something to hold onto. With the metal ring installed, you can simply place your smartphone on the Thiatoo car mount, and instantly enjoy fast wireless charging. Because this wireless charging car mount uses a magnet instead of a spring-loaded clamp, it works with smartphones of all sizes.

10. Apple AirPower wireless charger for iPhone x and 8 / Plus

apple airpower iphone x iphone 8 iphone 8 Plus wireless chargerApple has recently unveiled their upcoming wireless charging mat for the latest iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods. Called AirPower, this elegant wireless charging mat can charge multiple devices simultaneously, and it works with all Qi-compatible devices. The AirPower is the only charging mat on this list that uses a Lightning cable, making it perfect for Apple fans, who most likely already have several Lighting cables and wall adapters laying around. Unfortunately, the AirPower is not yet available. It will launch in 2018, according to Apple, but we don’t know exactly when.

 

Photography on the go – Essential iPhone Camera Accessories

Photography on the go – iPhone accessories for great photos. 6 of the best must haves to get you amazing photos with your smart phone.

Photography with a macro lens

A macro lens works like a strong magnifying glass that can be snapped onto an iPhone to give a variety of amazing photography options.  A macro lens allows users to capture close up photos of small objects. This is the type of accessory that is very difficult to go without once you’ve started using it. You’ll find it easier to take photos of animals and nature.

These lenses can vary in magnification from 6x to 15x zoom, with some more high power lenses also on the market. Top manufacturers for iPhone macro lenses include ExoLens and Olloclip.
Click here for the latest ExoLens prices.
Click here for the latest Olloclip Prices.

Tripod, makes photography so easy

A tripod will save you your hands and improve the quality of your photos on those moments you need to hold your smart phone camera deadly still during photography so you can capture video or a slow shutter image. Tripods come in lots of different varieties but all of them have the same purpose and goal. The tripod means you don’t need rush photography and your footage will come out looking much more professional.

GorillaPod is one of the top brands for tripod and Lollipod’s selling feature is the ability to extend.
Click HERE for the latest price on GorillaPods.
Click HERE for the latest price on Lollipods.

A waterproof iPhone case, gives you more photography options

The ability to photograph underwater is the biggest selling point of waterproof iPhone casing. These type of cases are perfect for those regular adventurers and photography lovers or the accident prone types. There are several good brands for this accessory, the most popular being Watershot Pro.
Click HERE for the latest price on the Watershot Pro.

Hardened iPhone case

iPhone are fragile and many of us have learnt that the hard way. Many people have lost their technology to trips, drops, puddles and the laundry, this case will certainly give people a safety net.

Although not particularly necessary for great photography with your iPhone or smart phone, a  hardened case can lead to other possibilities like taking your phone out in the rain, on hikes or whilst skydiving. These types of cases can come in lots of different price points and colours.

We like the Lifeproof range of Hard cases, you can find the latest price for them HERE.

There are many other options and price points, you can find the latest styles and prices HERE.

Shutter release – for that perfect photo

A remote shutter releases can let iPhone users take up close photos from far away. This is perfect for holiday photography or taking photos where you want to capture images of a faraway location or if you’re looking for a new perspective. The widest available remote shutter release is a user friendly switch that comes on Apple earbuds, this doesn’t work on significant distance but will improve your images.

There are also a wide amount of Bluetooth products that offer a remote shutter option, these come with a range of features and in a variety of prices. Some of these shutters allow you take photos from as far away as 30 meters.

You can find the latest prices on Apple’s earbuds HERE.
You can find the latest prices on Bluetooth Remote Shutter Releases HERE.

Battery charger

One of the most frustrating things about smartphones is the battery. No matter how advanced the model of your phone or your photography accessories, the last thing you want to miss is the perfect photography opportunity, or extra photos if the battery is unlikely to last the day. We all need a battery charger than can recharge the phone throughout the day, no matter where you are.

There are a huge variety of portable battery chargers and power from basic $10 options to $100 models. Some last will charge a phone once, others up to six times.

 

Top 3 accessories for a new MacBook owner

New to the Mac? Did you just go out and buy a new Mac Pro? Well it’s time to look for some great accessories that almost every Mac owner should have. That Mac is great, but it does have its limitations. With some of these accessories, you can work better without adding a ton to your budget.

Anker USB 3.0 9 Port Hub With Smart Charging Port

anker-9-port-usb-hub-apple
9 Port USB Hub

Unless you have a Mac Pro (old or new), you probably have run out of USB ports. The iMac only has a couple, and every Apple laptop only has two or three. So it doesn’t take long to run out in this world where everything connects via USB.

The Anker USB Hub, has 9 ports, will charge everything up to an iPad without being plugged into your laptop/desktop, and is USB 3.0. The only thing that would make it better is if they threw in a couple extra Thunderbolt ports, but you can’t get everything you want.

The downside is that it’s pricey. But you’ll be hard pressed to find one that looks great next to your beautiful Mac, and has 9 ports ($60).

Apple Magic Mouse

magic-mouse-for-apple
Apple Magic Mouse

We’ve looked and looked for the perfect mouse for the Mac, and there are just not very many that fit the Mac aesthetic. Logitech makes some really great mice, but they tend not to last very long unless you spend more than $100.

So we’ve settled on the Apple Magic Mouse. Now if you’ve purchased an iMac, you probably already have one of these. If not, you’ll need to buy it separate. The great part is that because it is made by Apple, it has gesture support built in, so you won’t lose functionality if you’ve decided to leave your track pad behind.

Sometimes a track pad just isn’t precise enough, the Magic Mouse takes care of that ($73).

Specialty Screen Cleaner Kit

screen-cleaning-kit
Belkin Cleaning Kit

All Macs have screens of some sort, even if you’ve had to buy it separately. Even if you use a desktop, your screen will get dusty and smudged over time. We’ve linked to a nice cleaner kit for LCDs and LED screens, but you can find something else if $15 is too pricey.

Basically it just comes with spray that is safe for a screen and a microfiber rag. Wipe your screen down once a month and it’ll continue to look awesome ($15).

Bottom Line

Obviously we could have listed several more, and if we had gotten specific to certain computers, we could have listed even more. If you have a MacBook for instance, an Ethernet to USB connector is almost a must have. We also failed to include a great external optical drive, so there’s that as well.

Many Mac users will start accumulating accessories from the time they buy their first Mac until they die. New things come out, and as tech people we love to look at shiny new things. It’s just human nature.