Todd Bernhard

Author Details

Todd Bernhard's picture

Author Details

Todd Bernhard

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.

I keep restocking portable battery packs because the kids borrow and don't return them. Then I'll clean around the house and find discharged battery packs strewn around the house. Now, the ChargeHub HomeBase Power Bank Docking Station ($59.99) that Limitless Innovations sent me may be my saviour. The portable battery charging dock is a compact base that has four slots for the included aluminum battery packs, each offering 4,000 mAh of power, which is impressive given how slim they are.

I have never reviewed cases from Caudabe until the company recently sent me the slim Synthesis iPhone Case ($24.95). Caudabe seems to have found a niche for slim, rugged iPhone cases that it calls "Minimalist Perfection," and I can't disagree. These ultra thin protective iPhone cases are slim enough that those who prefer naked iPhones shouldn't object. Yet they add grippability through a unique polymer, which should prevent drops. 

I have several MacBooks and even more monitors spread out across several offices, so I'm always looking for the best USB-C docks for MacBook, particularly multi-monitor ones. The folks at Choetech sent a review unit of their HUB-M11 HDMI VGA Hub with Wireless Charger ($46.79) to try. It comes close and at a great price given the functionality. 

The folks at iHome make a wide variety of iPhone accessories, particularly speakers... so many that I give them a hard time for resorting to cryptic naming schemes. The iBTW281 ($79.99) alarm clock phone charger that they sent me to try is just one example. Fortunately, I speak "iHome," so I can translate the "BT" to Bluetooth and the "W" to Wireless. That gives you a good idea of what this "Dual Alarm Clock Speaker System + Dual Charging" device (that's the long name) does!

While kids may flock to PopSockets, the colorful collapsible stand that you may have seen on the back of people's iPhones, there's an alternative that may appeal to kids as well as older folks who need to keep a secure grip on their mobile devices. I had the opportunity to try the CLKR Phone Grip and Stand (starting at $14.99) as CLCKR sent me some versions to try. Like a PopSocket, they can attach to an iPhone or you can buy iPhone cases with the CLCKR built in. I tried both.

I have reviewed a number of gaming controllers from GameSir but the i3 Gaming Case ($39.90) the company sent me to try breaks the iPhone Bluetooth game controller mold. Instead of a plastic Xbox-like controller fitted to work with and house an iPhone, GameSir started with an iPhone case and added buttons to it. 

These days, a water bottle is not just a common accessory, it's a fashion statement. But why spend more on a water bottle than you'd spend on an iPhone case if all it does is hold water? The folks at Asobu came up with the BT60 Wireless Beat Bottle ($34.99) that does something more. The "Beat" refers to that extra feature; the water bottle comes with a Bluetooth speaker built-in to the cap!

If you're not all-in on Apple Arcade, and still use a dedicated gaming console like the Xbox One, you might want a gaming headset that can support chat via a removable boom microphone. But before you spend nearly $200 (as much as or more than the console) you should get one that also works with your iPhone. LucidSound sent me a review unit of their LS35X Rose Gold Wireless Gaming Headset ($149.99) to try and Apple users who like to game will find it is a perfect fit, especially if they use Rose Gold Apple gear.

The folks at iHome have a wide variety of speakers that offer a variety of features like Qi-based wireless charging, Alexa integration, radio, alarm clock, etc. but they sent me one, the Zenergy Bluetooth Speaker ($35.08) that has none of those features. Still, for many people, the features it does have will be greatly appreciated. It is a Bluetooth speaker that charges via microUSB but that's not what makes it stand out. The Zenergy is designed to help you sleep better. This is accomplished by an impressive 15 distinct sleep sounds. Unlike traditional mechanical sound machines, this plays recorded and engineered sounds and even incorporates a gentle voice guiding you to sleep or a meditative state with yoga-inspired guided breathing. 

As a native of Rochester, NY, home of Kodak, I always have a soft spot for Kodak gear. The company created the photography industry but then watched as competitors like Polaroid and later smartphones took over. It looks like Kodak is back in the game with its new Kodak Smile Classic ($149.99) which the folks there sent to me to try. I own the latest Fuji and Polaroid instant cameras so I was pleased to see several enhancements that those devices don't match.

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