It's that time of year again. Right after a new iPhone comes out there is the inevitable deluge of great cases to protect your new investment. This happens with every iPhone release, but perhaps never more markedly than with the introduction of the completely new form factors of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. If ever an iPhone called for a protective case it is these large and larger models, with their increased real estate, slick, rounded edges and extra heft. Rather than clump an assortment of different cases together, I'll be focusing on one great case each week over the course of the coming months. In a break from the norm, this week we are featuring two different waterproof cases: the LUNATIK TAKTIK 360 ($119.95) and the LUNATIK AQUATIK ($89.95).
iPhone
How to Preview a City’s Weather in the Weather App
By Conner Carey
3D Touch, introduced with the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, is still a relatively new feature and as such, more Quick Actions and Peek & Pops are being added to third-party and Apple apps all the time. Every instance where I can use 3D Touch is a welcome shortcut, and previewing a city’s weather is one of those instances. You already know that you can have multiple cities listed in your Apple Weather app, but did you know you can use Peek & Pop to preview each one? Here’s how.
How to Peek at a Bookmark without Opening It
By Conner Carey
When it comes to 3D Touch, it’s hard to know when you can and can't use it. Since it’s a fairly new feature on the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus, even Apple apps are still updating software to include options like Quick Actions or Peek & Pop. One such occasion when you might not realize you can use Peek & Pop for is when viewing your Bookmarks in Safari. This is a great way to see where your saved links lead and makes clearing old bookmarks much quicker.
How to Peek at an Artist in Apple Music
By Conner Carey
Since getting the iPhone 6s, I’ve slowly but surely become accustomed to Peek & Popping various links in different apps. But the problem with 3D Touch being a relatively new feature is that you’re not always sure when you can and can't use it. Luckily, Apple and developers are consistently adding Quick Actions and Peek & Pop features to existing apps. One such app you can utilize the Peek function in is Music. Here’s how.
Educational Games for Kids: Introducing Monster Math 2
By Krisoy Desouza
Monster Math 2 (free) is an educational game for children and a great way to get kids to learn the skill of mathematics in a fun way. The app has more than 40 math skills using the “big four” of addition, subtraction, division, and multiplication.
Apple’s Q1 2016 Earnings Report: Everything You Need to Know
By Conner Carey
If you have stock in Apple, take a sigh of relief. Yesterday afternoon the company announced record quarterly profit, netting $18.4 billion dollars in Q1 2016. “Our team delivered Apple’s biggest quarter ever, thanks to the world’s most innovative products and all-time record sales of iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple TV,” said Tim Cook, Apple’s CEO. The quarter, which ended December 26, 2015, saw record breaking revenue as well, raking in $75.9 billion dollars. Wall Street warned Apple’s soaring numbers couldn’t last, but the company continues its upward climb.. for now.
7 Cool & Creative iPhone Cases for Artists
By Conner Carey
There are iPhone cases for every type of personality, from the rugged, life-proof beasts to the professional, leather covers. Collections of cases are made fairly streamlined though; what if you want to show off your personality or love of art with your iPhone case? There is an array of websites offering graphic design covers but, recently, I came across Redbubble, a company that features independent art on all kinds of gear. Here are seven of my favorites amongst the 8000 options the website offers.
Touch ID has seen some major improvements since the release of the iPhone 6s. It’s more accurate and works much more often than it used to. But now, I find Touch ID unlocks my iPhone before I have a chance to check the notification that has popped up. Or, if I’m driving and I just want to change the song from the Lock screen, sometimes Touch ID works too quickly and I end up unlocking my iPhone and having to take the extra step of opening the Music app. Well, here’s our trick to get around that.
Apple Wants to Inspire You to ‘Start Something New’
By Conner Carey
Apple has a hidden page on its website featuring awesome artwork and the artist’s process creating their art using Apple devices, apps, and accessories. The Start Something New campaign aims to inspire creatives to use their Apple devices to let their imaginations run wild and create. The campaign features 11 artists and shows that technology is no longer a barrier to creating amazing art. The artists featured used only their iPhone, iPad, Mac, and accessories. One artist even utilized his Apple Watch while another used an Olloclip with her iPhone.
CES 2016: Speck Announces Pocket Virtual Reality for iPhone
By Becca Ludlum
Virtual reality is starting to go from a developers-only situation to a common consumer situation. CES in Las Vegas is full of such products, proving that VR is for everyone with the many different companies here showing off their latest and greatest. The first step to getting consumers into the virtual reality market is giving them something familiar and easy to use–Speck has done just that with its new Pocket VR viewer ($69.95, available Spring 2016).
I've had a SCOTTeVEST jacket for several years now and have found it increasingly useful. As the airlines get more stingy about luggage and even carry-ons, it makes sense to try to keep your gadgets on your person when traveling. Plus, I attend a lot of trade shows, including the upcoming CES in Las Vegas, and I like to carry a lot of items, including business cards, battery packs, chargers, and USB cables—not to mention my iPhone and iPad mini. SCOTTeVEST's travel jacket with hidden pockets can handle all that, and more.
Brilliant to some, narcissistic to others, the man who styles Beyonce to look flawless invented an iPhone case to help you do the same. Fittingly named after himself, the Ty-Lite protective iPhone case lights up like a classic dressing room mirror providing studio lighting for your front-facing camera. Unlike the dressing room mirrors of the past with old, fluorescent lighting the Ty-Lite case features LED lights with three different settings such as ‘warm’ and ‘brilliant’.
All of the outstanding protective iPhone 6s cases included in this head-to-head battle have to meet a minimum criteria; and therefore, they all have the following core features in common. They are all waterproof to a depth of at least six feet for a minimum of half an hour and they are all drop-proof from a height of at least six feet. Additionally, these cases can all be considered full-time-use cases, which means that they allow full access to all of the iPhone's ports, controls, and features, without ever having to remove the case itself. Read on to see which of these quality cases—the Lifeproof Nüüd, the Catalyst, or the Punkcase Spikestar—is the best rugged waterproof iPhone 6s case.
iPhone 6s and 6s Plus users can utilize 3D Touch for a plethora of convenient actions and previews. One such action is the ability to 3D Touch a group text in order to individually text a specific person from the group. This saves you the step of opening a new message and searching for the contact when you already have their information right in front of you. Here’s how to 3D Touch a group text to contact anyone in the text individually.
How to Send a Friend Request in Game Center
By Conner Carey
Game Center is the main hub for iOS gaming, keeping score, and challenging friends. When playing multiplayer games, you can Auto-Match with a random person, or invite your friends to play. In order to play with your friends from real life, you need to add them to your list of friends in Game Center. Here’s how to send a friend request in Game Center.
Review: Twelve South’s HiRise Deluxe Charges Everything
By Conner Carey
Twelve South has easily become one of my go-to places for fantastic and gorgeous iPhone and iPad accessories. This time, the company is pushing innovation with a sleek charging stand that can charge any lightning device you have for it: the HiRise Deluxe ($34.99). From charging your iPhone (in its case) to the new Apple Pencil, this may be Twelve South’s most useful accessory yet.
Review: Moshi iGlaze Ion Battery Case
By Becca Ludlum
I'm always on the lookout for the best iPhone 6 battery cases and I've always been happy with Moshi phone cases in general, so I was happy to try the new Moshi iGlaze Ion Battery Case for iPhone 6 and 6s ($99.95). It's quick to charge up and quick to power up your phone. The outer charging case can be removed when you don't need it, leaving the slim and beautiful inner shell to protect your iPhone 6 or 6s.
Review: Timbrefone Passive Wood Speaker
By Becca Ludlum
The Timbrefone is a beautiful handmade wooden passive speaker. It requires no charging, Bluetooth pairing, or other power and can be used for listening to music, talking on the phone, or FaceTime.
I've written extensively about the game Vainglory (free) since it first debuted on stage when Apple unveiled unveiled the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus a year ago this very week. You may also recall being introduced to Vainglory thanks to Apple's Gamers commercial, the tech giant's only exclusively gaming commercial to date.
Review: Soft Case by FÜZ Designs Is Both Slim and Protective
By Todd Bernhard
FÜZ Designs makes quality iOS accessories, so I was glad to try the Soft Case ($29.99) for the iPhone 6s. I liked the use of soft, grippy materials and the color choices (bright blue or red as well as black.)