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Your First Cellphone: True Stories of Cellphones Past

I got my first cellphone when I was around 14. It was my father's, actually; I just got to carry it when I went anywhere without my parents, and he didn't want it in the first place, so it became de facto mine. It was a Samsung SPH-N400—an old Samsung flip phone. In any case, what I had was a little blue block about two inches wide and four inches tall with a retractable antenna and a bright green screen whose pixels you could count on your fingers. It had the game Snake and it took me 30 minutes to draft a single text message—a capability I didn't even know the phone had for the first several months it was in my possession. I loved it dearly.

For two decades, I've been adding smart features to my home, including a video doorbell, smart light switches, Alexa devices and more. But for most of that time, I have relied on X-10 motion-sensing floodlights and analog cameras for security. But now that changes, because ANNKE sent me a Floodlight Cam ($135.99) to try and, while not perfect, it has many benefits over the older technology.

If you want to know how to repeat a song or shuffle music, you'll like this tip on how to find and use playback controls in Apple Music. The controls to shuffle music and repeat songs can be hard to locate, especially when you’ve accidentally enabled them and need to turn shuffle or repeat off! Read on to learn how to repeat songs and shuffle music, plus how to turn shuffle off.

The wireless headset market is saturated, which is why I find it so interesting to see how established, expert audio manufacturers compete in such a crowded space. Some emphasize features over performance while others strive for an impeccable sonic experience with minimal features. Then there are companies like Sennheiser that strive to balance a fine line between these aspects. Read on to find out if their latest high definition headset is able to achieve this objective.

My family has three Apple Watches and four iPhones, so anytime I can find a device that charges both, I'm happy. The folks at The Grommet sent me the Time Traveler iPhone & Apple Watch Battery Bank​ ($79.95) to try and it does that and more. The Time Traveler has a built-in charging pad for an Apple Watch. You don't need to provide your own so that's a cost and convenience bonus. There is also a built-in Lightning cable that tucks away under the unit, so you don't have to bring a Lightning cable either!

If you need help sleeping, either from a sound machine or a cooling fan, the folks at iHome have a new dual-purpose device that could help. They sent me a review unit of their new iHome Air ($70) to try. It makes sense, as you probably have limited space on your nightstand to house multiple devices, so why not combine a couple of gadgets that work best close to your pillow?

iPhone Bluetooth Settings: How to Block an App's Access (2023)

Apple is famous for its extensive privacy settings. You can customize your Location Services for specific apps, prevent apps from tracking you, and even block apps from using Bluetooth. This won’t stop you from being able to use your headphones, but it will prevent the app from using your iPhone's Bluetooth in other ways that might affect your privacy. Read on to learn how to customize your iPhone Bluetooth settings and disable Bluetooth for specific apps.

I recently reviewed the SmartCine Complete Universal Smartphone Kit. It's a handheld mount that holds a smartphone in place for use in videography. I was intrigued to see how the "complete" kit could get better when Movo sent me its SmartCine Wireless All-in-One Video Kit ($149.95) to try. It turns out there was quite a bit more that could be added. First, Movo added a wireless lavalier microphone option. When combined with an added telephoto lens, this makes it easy to record a distant subject while keeping them in the picture. The kit has a convenient headphone jack as well to check audio levels. Make sure you have your own Lightning to 3.5mm audio converter to accept the output of the wireless receiver.

If you don't like either of the Apple Pencils that Apple offers, the folks at Adonit have a wide range of Apple Pencil alternatives. They even have a chart on their website to help you decide which one is right for you, with eleven models from $10 to $100. I previously wrote about their Adonit Note, and they sent me the upgraded Note Plus Stylus ($69.99) to try and it answers several of the issues I had. For starters, it uses USB-C instead of microUSB to recharge. This is important because, since my previous review, Apple has moved to standardize on USB-C for the iPad Pro. The fewer cables I have to carry around, the better, and microUSB has always been a pain because it's not reversible.

The Rocketbook Everlast notebook is a smart notebook that's conventional in look and feel, but is built for the digital age. The Everlast makes it easy to digitize and organize all your notes in an instant. Writing is the same as with any other notebook—with one main exception. Adding a bit of water erases all your notes so you can start from scratch, making it 100 percent reusable (yay for the environment).

I have been a fan of Pitaka's iPhone cases and car charger for some time. The company has a unique design combining aramid fiber (which looks like carbon fiber) and metal and magnets to not only look good but also to keep your phone and accessories connected, in place, and fully charged. But if you want an extra battery pack to carry with you, Pitaka also has the MagEZ Juice ($89.99), which Pitaka sent me to try.

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