Accessories

One of the things that frustrated me most when I recently got the iPhone 6s was its size (yes, I was one of those people who longed for the days of my 4-inch iPhone 5s). The problem was that I had a pretty difficult time using the iPhone 6s one handed. Yeah, I get it, there’s that whole Reachability feature that Apple added to help solve this exact issue. But let’s be honest—nobody likes Reachability. I’ve activated the feature a lot since purchasing my phone, but never on purpose. So when I saw the 6Sense Tempered Glass Screen Protector by Avant Guard at the 2016 Consumer Electronics Show—which allows you to activate functions located at the top corners of your screen (like the Back and Edit buttons in the Photos app) from the bottom of your screen instead—I was pretty excited by the concept.

Valentine’s Day is nearly here. Sure, you could buy your sweetheart the traditional flowers and chocolate but the best gifts are either handmade or personally selected. If your love happens to be a tech lover as well, why not get them a gift they’ll both use and adore? For him and her, we’ve got a list of awesome V-day gifts for the tech lover in your life from the Keyboard Waffle Maker to a coffee pot you can start from anywhere.

For everyday uses, the iPhone has a decent built-in microphone. But if you want to get any level of professional sound, whether it be to film a movie, record a song, or conduct an interview, you’re going to need an external mic for quality sound. There’s a wide variety of options, but it’s definitely the type of product where you get what you pay for.

There are iPhone cases for every type of personality, from the rugged, life-proof beasts to the professional, leather covers. Collections of cases are made fairly streamlined though; what if you want to show off your personality or love of art with your iPhone case? There is an array of websites offering graphic design covers but, recently, I came across Redbubble, a company that features independent art on all kinds of gear. Here are seven of my favorites amongst the 8000 options the website offers.

Apple has a hidden page on its website featuring awesome artwork and the artist’s process creating their art using Apple devices, apps, and accessories. The Start Something New campaign aims to inspire creatives to use their Apple devices to let their imaginations run wild and create. The campaign features 11 artists and shows that technology is no longer a barrier to creating amazing art. The artists featured used only their iPhone, iPad, Mac, and accessories. One artist even utilized his Apple Watch while another used an Olloclip with her iPhone.

Virtual reality is starting to go from a developers-only situation to a common consumer situation. CES in Las Vegas is full of such products, proving that VR is for everyone with the many different companies here showing off their latest and greatest. The first step to getting consumers into the virtual reality market is giving them something familiar and easy to use–Speck has done just that with its new Pocket VR viewer ($69.95, available Spring 2016).

I've had a SCOTTeVEST jacket for several years now and have found it increasingly useful. As the airlines get more stingy about luggage and even carry-ons, it makes sense to try to keep your gadgets on your person when traveling. Plus, I attend a lot of trade shows, including the upcoming CES in Las Vegas, and I like to carry a lot of items, including business cards, battery packs, chargers, and USB cables—not to mention my iPhone and iPad mini. SCOTTeVEST's travel jacket with hidden pockets can handle all that, and more.

CES, the Consumer Electronics Show of the year is upon us. Already we’re seeing awesome products from new companies and new products from awesome companies. Fitbit, the wearable tech company, took this opportunity to announce its new smart wearable ‘Blaze’ with a square face and touch screen display. Like an Apple Watch, the Fitbit Blaze ($199.95) will be able to alternate between different bands, but per Fitbit’s standard, the watch will focus on fitness tracking. However, it will also receive Smart Notifications such as calls, text messages, and calendar events.

It's hard to believe that after all these years, someone could reinvent a USB cable and leave me impressed. But that's exactly what Lander did with its Neve Lightning Cable ($29.99). Lander paid a lot of attention to the pet peeves of most users. The cable is remarkably thin and while I've seen flat cables before and I've seen fabric braided cables before, I've never seen one cable that is both flat and covered with braided fabric. The result is a tangle-free, comfortable cable with an attractive design. It's one of the best lightning cables out there. 

Before the recently enhanced Apple TV was introduced, rumor sites speculated that Apple might actually make large-screen television sets and embed its Apple TV intelligence into them. I was never a fan of that strategy. TV sets are fragile and bulky, and Apple doesn't need to get into that business. For several years, I have relied on an Epson projector connected to an Apple TV for my home entertainment. I've never looked back since I set up the home theater system. My screen is as large as my wall, which is far bigger than any TV set at Best Buy. I mounted the Epson projector to my wall and painted the screen-side of the wall with a special paint to make the image even better.

I've always admired the RUNNUR bandolier-style messenger bags when I've seen them at various tradeshows. At the recent New York City Comicon, I saw RUNNUR's exhibit and noticed an iPad-specific offering, which I was fortunate enough to try. The Shoulder Sling Case ($60) is a nylon case for an iPad or iPad mini, with the screen exposed for easy access. There are four different D-ring metal loops to connect the included padded strap. There's a handy hand grip that also doubles as a stand.

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