Todd Bernhard is a bestselling (6+ million downloads) award-winning (AARP, About.com, BestAppEver.com, Digital Hollywood, and Verizon) developer and founder of NoTie.NET, an app developer specializing in Talking Ringtone apps including AutoRingtone. And his profile photo is of the last known sighting of Mr. Bernhard wearing a tie, circa 2007!
An iPhone is almost always attached to his hip or in his pocket, but over the years, Mr. Bernhard has owned an Apple Newton, a Motorola Marco, an HP 95LX, a Compaq iPaq, a Palm Treo, and a Nokia e62. In addition to writing for iPhone Life, Mr. Bernhard has written for its sister publications, PocketPC Magazine and The HP Palmtop Paper.
By Todd Bernhard
I've used and recommended Urban Armor Gear iPhone cases for years. They are the right mix of rugged protection and cool style. UAG sent me the Plyo Series iPad Case ($69.95) to review and it offers the same rugged protection as the iPhone cases. It protects all around the edges, including the ports, and has a cover lined with microfiber that keeps the screen clean.
By Todd Bernhard
Over the years, I've reviewed the different iterations of Jamstik portable guitars from Zivix so I was interested to see the latest model, the Jamstik 7 Fret Edition ($199.99). when Zivix offered to send a review unit. As with previous models, the Jamstik is lightweight, comfortable to hold and use, and battery powered. The Jamstik 7 Fret Edition lasts for 72 hours using four AA batteries, included, which is a nice touch. It's small, at just 18 inches, but you can buy the Add-On Body to make it more like a full-size guitar, if desired. Since the neck is shorter, the touch-sensitive rubberized buttons can be used to move up or down in both Capo and Octave.
If you're like me, you have probably seen and maybe even purchased those rugged, foam-filled shipping crates from Pelican. I use them all the time to ship computer and audio equipment. Well, what if you could have that level of protection for your iPhone? That's the idea behind the Pelican line of iPhone cases. The company sent me the Adventurer Case ($39.99) to try.
By Todd Bernhard
I've reviewed a number of accessories from Nyrius before, so I was excited to see the company's latest item, ORION Home Wireless HD Video Transmitter & Receiver ($149.99), had arrived. I liked the previous model, but it used miniUSB and the newer model is microUSB-based, which is a step up. It's also easier to set up; indeed it is set up by default, out of the box. The Orion Home is two boxes that look alike, but one is a transmitter and the other a receiver. They are both similar in size to the Apple TV, but with a perforated top, which probably helps with reception.
By Todd Bernhard
I had been considering using an old iPhone as a car dash cam, but when Autowit sent me its Front & Rear Dual Dash Camera Recorder Mirror ($69.99) I gave up on trying to make my own! It's much nicer to have a device that is purpose-built for recording. And the price makes it attractive. Plus there are features an iPhone or even other dash cams can't match.
By Todd Bernhard
No matter what you're looking for in a speaker, the odds are pretty good that iHome has something that meets your needs. The company even has cosmetic mirrors that double as Bluetooth speakers. iHome sent me the iAV14 Alexa Bedside/Home Office Speaker ($99.99) to check out and I do indeed like that it has Alexa built in. Amazon has redefined what a speaker should be; and if you're going to spend $100 it should include a smart home assistant, which the iAV14 does. Another nice touch is that it supports Spotify, if you use that music streaming service.
By Todd Bernhard
If you ride a bicycle or walk outside and want to listen to music, but don't want to block out the outside world, try the Lucyd Loud ($99). Lucyd sent me their Lucyd Loud sunglasses which have built-in audio capabilities. They act as earbuds using Bluetooth 4.1, but you don't have to place anything inside your ears. They use bone conduction to transmit the sound, and they do so quite well.
By Todd Bernhard
Who says you can't print videos? The folks at Lifeprint sent me the Harry Potter Magic Photo Video Printer ($149.99) to review, probably because they know I'm a fan of Harry Potter, but they didn't know that I've been using ZINK photo printers and instant cameras for years. In fact, I've been using Polaroid cameras since they came out decades ago, and this new device brings back some of the magic, literally, from those early days of instant cameras.
The new iPhones are out and they continue to get better, in particular when it comes to photography. But one area that could use help is lighting, especially when it comes to using the self-facing camera. That's where the Lighting Kit for Smartphone ($99.99) comes in. Lume Cube gave me a kit to try. I often record videos from trade shows and I can see how valuable this will be for me.
I had the opportunity to try the updated BEDDI Glow SE ($79.99) from WITTI. I reviewed the original model, and was happy when WITTI sent me the newer version. This one has a compact footprint and battery backup, two valuable enhancements for nightstand use, which is how I used my original BEDDI for years. You can set multiple alarms on different days, such as a weekday alarm for work or school and a weekend alarm that's a little later.
