This past weekend, as I packed for a road trip, I crammed my overnight bag full of clothes, toiletries, gadgets, and cables for all of my various devices. My side pocket looked like a robot spider had spun a USB web. It was a mess.
AmazonBasics' Retractable USB Cable would have saved me a lot of hassle. It stretches to two feet in length, but when closed up, fits neatly into small compartments so you don't have a tangled mess to deal with when you unpack.
You've probably got a couple of apps in your stash that provides curated stories for you to read. But, what about an app that reports stories to you?
Rivet Radio is like listening to a version of NPR that only reports the stuff you are interested in. We've got a full app review of Rivet Radio for you right now.
Take a moment right now to think about how many devices you have around the house that require charging via USB. Maybe you have a portable wireless speaker, a smartwatch, a couple of iPhones, some rechargeable toys, and an iPad. It starts to add up. You could probably come up with 10 devices in your household that charge via USB.
Sabrent makes a 10-port rapid charger that supplies enough juice to power up all 10 devices at the same time without getting overworked. Thanks to its smart charge technology, it can supply extra power to devices that need it, like the iPad Air 2, while restricting power to devices that don't need as much, like a first generation iPod touch.
What a great week for iMac news. If you are thinking about upgrading to the new 5K model, now is the time. We're also excited about Apple's new Magic Mouse 2, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Trackpad 2. In the meantime, more amazing content gets added to the App Store every day.
If you are looking for some new apps and games to keep you connected all weekend long, we've got a list you might want to check out.
Most people view their Instagram account via the official mobile app. However, you can check out your feed right from the Internet in most web browsers, and it looks pretty cool because the pictures are much bigger.
Flume is a dedicated Instragam viewer for Mac that creates a lovely experience different from what you see on the official website. We've got a full app review of Flume for you today.
If you are looking for a retro style arcade platformer, this is your lucky week. A brother duo development team has just launched a game that clearly was created from the minds of old school gamers.
Jump Jack is an action platformer that does not stop. Every panel of every level is fast paced and leaves you out of breath. We've got a game review of Jump Jack for you today.
I'm a bit of a sucker for kitschy and novelty cases. You may recall my over-exuberance about a certain bottle opener/cigarette lighter case. If it looks like something it's not, or has features that don't belong on a case, I'm interested.
The GMYLE iPhone 6s wallet case could fit into the novelty category, but it looks so classy that you can't call it kitschy. It looks like you are holding a tiny leather-bound book.
Finger-swiping games really stand out on touch-screen devices. Before smartphones, there really wasn't such a thing. Now, slicing and dicing with your finger has become its own category.
Super Sharp is one such game, but it adds a nice physics-based mechanic to a minimalist puzzle that is quite entertaining. We've got a full game review of Super Sharp below. See if it is something you'd like.
Nobody listens to CDs anymore, am I right? OK, I know that CDs are still the most popular form of physical music. However, if you've got 20GB of music right on your iPhone 6s, then you probably don't have a binder full of CDs in your glove box. Which means you probably don't use the CD player in your car very often.
Why not make use of that dusty old CD player by using it to mount your iPhone 6s? Mountek's nGroove is a universal dashboard mount that fits into the CD player slot. So, it doesn't get in the way of your air conditioner, it's not using up valuable cup holder space, and it isn't in your way when you are trying to see out of your windshield.
This week, we were pleasantly surprised by AT&T's Wi-Fi calling support, Adobe's decision to make Lightroom for iOS free, and the fact that we may get our hands on the iPad Pro as early as the first week of November.
We were also disappointed to discover that malware was targeting iOS devices, some of our iPhone 6s chips weren't as good as others, and we may not get our hands on the newest Apple TV until as late as the first week of November.
If you are tired of the rollercoaster of tech-based emotions you've been through this week and just want some apps and games to relax you, check out our weekend list.
If you are in the cup holder mount camp (versus the vent mount or dash mount), you might have a problem with how low your iPhone 6s sits in your car's console. Most car cup holders are positioned in the center console at arms length, which is great for grabbing your soda, but not so great when you are trying to see which street to turn on next.
Cellet makes a Universal Cup Holder Mount with a rotating arm that is 10 inches tall. So, even if your cup holder is too far away, your iPhone 6s doesn't have to be.
I think we've all been in that situation where two, or sometimes three people in the same car are all vying for use with the one charging port in a car. You either have to Ro-Sham-Bo or pull the "its my car" card to get first dibs on charging.
VicTsing makes a multi port car charger with a mount that solves the problem of too many devices and not enough chargers. There are two USB ports extending from one branch, plus an additional DC cigarette lighter port on a second branch, so you could connect an additional car charger at the same time.