By Sarah Kingsbury
In the 53rd episode of the iPhone Life podcast, the team analyzes Natural Cycles, the first approved contraception app on the market. They also discuss Instagram's new advanced settings, and Sarah shares her top three favorite iPhone gadgets she's loving right now.
By Conner Carey
Come June, Apple will hold its 28th annual Worldwide Developers Conference. The annual conference is returning to San Jose this year, which is the first time WWDC has been held outside of San Fransico since 2002. The conference will be held at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center. When the conference kicks off on June 5, developers will come together along with more than 1,000 Apple engineers for get-togethers, sessions, and labs. And of course, Apple will host its Keynote Event, which will live stream on Apple’s website and the WWDC app for Apple TV, iPad, and iPhone. We’ll be covering the event on the day of, so be sure to tune in and follow our coverage come June.
By Sarah Kingsbury
When Apple announce its new iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus with no headphone jack back in September 2016, people had strong opionions for and against the change. Now that you've have had six months to get used to the lack of a headphone jack, we want to know how you feel about Apple's change now. Take the poll and let us know!
By Dig Om
2017 promises to be an exciting year for Apple. Not only is it the 10th anniversary of Apple's revolutionary flagship device, the iPhone, which means we can expect to see Apple blow our minds with inventive technological leaps; but rumor has it that Apple may be preparing to introduce not two, not three, but four new iPads to the world, likely as soon as this spring. But with all the hoopla surrounding Apple's iOS devices, one can't help but wonder what's in store for the Mac; not just this year, but in years to come.
By Todd Bernhard
Snap, maker of the app Snapchat, has unleashed a seemingly innocuous pair of sunglasses with camera dubbed Spectacles ($129.99) that could finally bring high-tech glasses that record to the mainstream. Unlike the Google Glass smart glasses, the Snapchat Spectacle glasses don't display anything, or have much intelligence at all. The Snapchat camera glasses just have one button that starts recording ten seconds of video. While recording, a circle lights up, so anyone being filmed should be tipped off to the fact, if they know what to look for.
By Todd Bernhard
Those of us who live in snowy climates can appreciate an app like unSnow.me (free). unSnow.me is actually an app and a service, similar to Angie's List, but focused exclusively on snow plowing and shoveling. That singular focus makes it easier to navigate, get in, get out, and get the snow off your property.
By Sarah Kingsbury
Rumors abound about the next iPhone, frequently referred to as the iPhone 8, though no one actually knows yet what Apple's next phone will be called. Experts have speculated that the new iPhone will have new features ranging from an edge-to-edge screen and wireless charging capabilities to better battery life and an improved selfie camera. Take our iPhone 8 poll and tell us what features you want to see most in Apple's next iPhone?
By Todd Bernhard
Much of the news today is about "fake news." Facebook, Twitter, and other social media sites are doing little to nothing to avoid the spread of such articles. One possible option for those who want to take control of what news they see is Slangwho (free). Slangwho is a free app for iOS and Android from the company with the same name.
By Conner Carey
The iPhone camera keeps getting better and better, which makes us all want to improve our photography skills, whether we’re using an iPhone 6 or the fancy iPhone 7 Plus with its dual lens. But all the high-tech features won’t save your photos alone. Getting a foundation in iPhone photography techniques can help you take professional pictures on your everyday device, which is why we at iPhone Life have partnered with iPhone Photography School to bring you a comprehensive guide for beginners and advanced users alike. You’ll learn how to properly focus your iPhone camera, set exposure for well-lit pictures, use lighting to your advantage, and much more. When you become an iPhone Life Insider, you’ll get immediate access to this and all of our other awesome guides, as well as all the usual benefits of an Insider subscription.
By Dig Om
The latest rumors continue to indicate that Apple is actively developing some sort of VR or AR headset. Virtual Reality is a completely immersive, 3D visual (and sometimes auditory) experience. If you didn't know, VR is poised to change many things in our modern world; from interactive educational and training apps, to video games, movies, and sports.
By Todd Bernhard
There are a lot of high tech toys out there to choose from, but I've always found that the best toys are the ones that you build yourself. As a kid, I carried around a briefcase full of Legos. That was my "work" and eventually I upgraded to Erector sets, and then tearing apart electronics. Kids today have Thimble, a monthly subscription service and learning platform that is now shipping its first learn-and-build electronics kits. In fact, Thimble is the gift that keeps on giving, not only because of the educational value in building the items, but it's also available as a monthly subscription service ($59 per month) versus $89 for just one kit. If you get the subscription, a new kit arrives each month, with step-by-step instructions and the kits get more complex over the year.
By Todd Bernhard
The iHome iPLWBT5 Docking Clock Radio ($129.99) could really eliminate some of the clutter on your nightstand. It's a clock radio, which iHome has been making for years, but it also doubles as a dual charging dock for your iPhone 7 and Apple Watch. There's a Lightning dock on the top, which should accommodate most cases except really protective ones. For iPhones in protective cases or an iPad, there's a USB port so you can charge a device via your own Lightning cable. Finally, sitting on the side is an Apple Watch magnetic charging base.
By Dig Om
It's been interesting to observe the tech community's response to the current socio-political events in the United States. Perhaps predictably, the predominantly left-leaning Silicon Valley tech sector has had more and more to say about the current political climate in North America.
By Todd Bernhard
Apple has updated the operating system for Apple TV to tvOS 9.2. The latest enhancements, for the U.S. at least, include a TV app that makes it easier to find TV shows and movies. You can find your favorites as well as Apple's suggestions. To make it even easier, the company has adopted Single Sign-On which lets you specify your official source for television (cable or satellite) and log in once to get access to all of your subscribed channels. Previously, you might have had to log in to the MSNBC app, the Disney app, etc. Additionally, the iOS Apple TV Remote app makes entering your login credentials easier by leveraging a virtual keyboard instead of having to use the Siri Remote to navigate the alphabet.
By Sarah Kingsbury
Looking for a glimpse into the future? That's why hundreds of thousands of people flock to Las Vegas each year for CES, where tech companies from all over the world debut their most innovative new products.