Jeff Benjamin

Apple’s Clips app is here, and it brings with it the ability to produce full videos by combining short (or long) clips together in a logical way. The idea seems simple on the surface, but the app is deeper than it initially appears. Have a look at our hands-on video walkthrough as we step through Clips’ main features.
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I’m currently in the process of building a new Hackintosh rig for 2017, so imagine how surprised and happy I was to hear that Nvidia is working on beta drivers for its GPUs with the latest Pascal architecture. Up until today, I had just settled on being relegated to a Radeon RX 480, or a Maxwell-era Nvidia card.

Not having Pascal drivers for the Mac certainly didn’t diminish the Hackintosh community, but it was significantly limiting in both options and creativity.

With today’s announcement, the Hackintosh just got exponentially more appealing. Nvidia’s announcement is positive for a variety of reasons: there’s the prospect of using an eGPU setup with a MacBook Pro, along with future prospects of Nvidia cards powering future Mac Pro hardware.

But on the immediate horizon, the announcement is most promising for Hackintosh builders. With this in mind, I wanted to share the build that I’m currently working on in this first part of a multi part series.
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Big news on the GPU front today for Mac users. Along with the announcement of its new ridiculously powerful Titan Xp GPU, Nvidia announced that new beta Pascal drivers are coming next week for the Mac.

This is great news for eGPU users and for those interested in building a Hackintosh. It also bodes well for the future of the upcoming modular Mac Pro.
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A few weeks ago I posted about 10 handy iPhone tips that I use on a regular basis. To follow up, I’d like to share 10 additional iOS tips that I often use. Like I said before, chances are that hardcore iOS users will know most of these, but there’s usually at least one or two tips that catch users by surprise. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the full list.
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Back in October we reviewed the spinning hard disk version of the CalDigit Tuff Drive. While it was nice from a build quality perspective, the HDD speeds left us anticipating the soon-to-come SSD model.

Last week we received the 1TB SSD version of CalDigit’s Tuff Drive (coming later this month), and as expected, it’s much faster. Watch our brief hands-on video walkthrough as we unbox the CalDigit Tuff 1TB SSD, and test its speeds.
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We’ve heard from a number of people who recently purchased Apple’s just-released 2017 iPad. For most, if not all of these people, this was their first iPad, or their first new iPad in years.

A lot has changed since the iPad debuted. Tablets are much more capable from a hardware perspective, but there have been big changes on the software end of the spectrum as well.

The iPad has always been known as a content consumption device, but as you’ll see, it’s also a strong platform for creative-minded people. If you’re new to the iPad, you owe it to yourself to try these apps, as they truly are some of the best in the business for creative types.
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I fully expected to outright dislike the new budget-friendly 9.7-inch iPad, but it’s the type of product that’s hard to hate. Sure, it lacks the gorgeous laminated, anti-reflective display of the iPad Air 2, and sure it’s not as svelte in either thickness or weight. But there’s no denying that the 2017 iPad with A9 dual core processor in tow, is a good value.

With base model storage starting at a healthy 32 GB, the new iPad is priced so reasonably that it’s almost an impulse buy for anyone previously on the fence about iOS tablets. No longer do you have to pay an extra $100 to obtain a model that will actually work over the long haul from a storage perspective. No longer are you left with an anemic processor that feels somewhat feeble after an iOS update or two.

Even with its obvious shortcomings, the 2017 iPad is worth considering as long as you know what you’re getting into. If you’re brand new to the world of iOS, or you’re coming from a pre-iPad Air device, then you may want to seriously consider the new iPad. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough as we explain.
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iOS 10.3 was released yesterday and it was a major release. Headlined by a brand new file system, the update brings major changes to the backbone of iOS. There are also a whole host of big and small user-facing features to be found as well. In this video walkthrough, we step through some of the changes you can expect to find in this latest release.
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Nestled between all of the other headlining releases yesterday was Classroom 2.0 for the iPad. The original Classroom app featured an MDM (Mobile Device Management) prerequisite, which made it more suitable for larger organizations with a dedicated IT department. With Classroom 2.0, teachers can invite students to a class manually, as long as their iPad is running iOS 10.3. Watch our hands-on video inside to see some of the features made possible by the updated Classroom app.
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As we noted in a prior post, Apple has updated its Apple TV Remote app to version 1.1. This latest version, which comes on the same day as tvOS 10.2 and iOS 10.3, brings long-awaited iPad support to the table.

Along with support for the iPad, the updated Apple TV Remote app features an enhanced Now Playing interface complete with support for lyrics and Up Next playlists for music, along with several other notable features. Have a look at our hands-on video walkthrough with the Apple TV Remote app inside.
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As I continue to go hands-on with more products in the Philips Hue family, I have to say that the Philips Hue Tap is one that caught me by surprise. This is a device that allows you to control your Philips Hue lights using physical buttons, sort of like a traditional light switch, which to me sounded archaic and like the opposite of progress.

Yet, after trying the Hue Tap, I found it to be a convenient compliment to controlling lights from my iPhone or via Siri. The Philips Hue Tap is wireless, pairs easily, can be mounted anywhere, and is powered, not by batteries, but by your touch. Have a look at our brief hands-on video for more details.
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As was noted during Apple’s barrage of press releases on Tuesday, you can now purchase Nike’s Apple Watch Sport Bands separately. Previously, customers had to purchase the Apple Watch Nike+ hardware itself in order to score one of the breathable bands with compression-molded perforations.

In this post, we go hands-on with all three of the Nike Sport Bands, which include Pure Platinum/White, Anthracite/Black, and Black/Volt. Watch our hands-on video for a look at each individually packaged band.
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As someone who runs the latest iOS and tvOS betas on all devices, I was able to take advantage of the new rent once, watch anywhere feature included in yesterday’s iTunes 12.6 update to the full. Have a look at our brief video walkthrough inside to see why this comes as a welcomed new addition.
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In this video walkthrough we highlight the most pertinent announcements made by Apple earlier today. Included is an overview of the (Red) iPhone 7, the $329 entry-level 9.7-inch iPad, Nike Bands, new iPhone cases, and more.
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In this hands-on video walkthrough, I share 10 handy tips for iPhone that I use on a regular basis. While I expect that most readers know and employ many of these tips, I’m hoping that there’s at least one or two that you’ll find useful.
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If you’ve checked the App Store lately via the Apple Watch app, then you’re likely aware of how limited the gaming library is on watchOS. Developer Gabriel O’Flaherty-Chan’s prototype Game Boy emulator is looking to help the cause by making a library of Nintendo games available on Apple Watch.

The emulator, named Giovanni after a Pokémon villain, is open source and available for developers to explore on GitHub. As you might expect, being a prototype it can be a bit slow and sluggish, but it’s still an impressive feat when you consider the limited nature of the Apple Watch hardware and software.
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After going hands-on with the Philips Hue Lightstrip Plus, I was eager to try out other products in the Hue lineup. The Philips Hue Go seemed particularly intriguing thanks to its battery-powered portability.

The Go is an ~$80 portable light, the size of a small cantaloupe that’s been sliced in half. The unit can be stay on for 3 hours thanks to its built-in rechargeable battery, but can also be powered via a wall outlet.

Although the Hue Go comes bundled with 7 lighting presets, it really shines when combined with the Philips Hue Bridge. The Bridge isn’t a requirement to use the Go, but it does allow you to tap into the full potential of the product.

Should you consider adding the Philips Hue Go to your lighting repertoire? Have a look at our video walkthrough for my hands-on impressions and overview.
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Filmic Pro is one of the best apps that you can buy for capturing video with your iPhone. It includes foundational features geared towards filmmaking, and is in a different stratosphere when compared to the iPhone’s stock Camera app.

The latest version of Filmic Pro comes with a brand new fast and easy-to-use interface. It’s essentially been redesigned from scratch to increase its intuitiveness, placing important controls more readily at your fingertips.

The new interface is only the beginning, as Filmic Pro v6 includes a brand new suite of real-time analytics features to pull off things like zebra stripes, clipping, false color, and focus peaking. These are all tools to help filmmakers accurately judge important factors like exposure and focus.

As we showed you back in January, the new version of Filmic Pro comes with an option to enable gamma curve controls for natural, dynamic, flat, and even LOG footage — a first for a mobile video app. If you’re a filmmaker with an iPhone 7 who does color correction in post, these and other features are bound to raise some eyebrows.
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When it comes to recording your Mac’s screen, there are lots of options available for macOS. In fact, Apple includes a built-in screen recording option in QuickTime, and if you only record your screen once in a blue moon then it’s a satisfying option.

If, however, you find yourself recording your screen on a regular basis, you should definitely look into an app that’s more powerful and agile. ScreenFlow 6 is hands-down the best screen recording app available on any platform in my opinion. It features a healthy mix of powerful features, a beautiful UI, and an intuitive interface that’s easy to use.

If you’ve never used ScreenFlow, or you’re just getting started, then this post is for you. Check out our hands-on video walkthrough as I guide you through 10 basic ScreenFlow tips.
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I’ve tried a handful of Apple Watch chargers in the past, such as Amber’s Watchcase Power Bank, but Ugreen’s offering may turn into my go-to Apple Watch charger from now on. The Ugreen Power Bank with Magnetic Charger not only features the portability that some Apple Watch owners are seeking, but it also features a built-in battery for wireless charging while away from a wall outlet.

And here’s something that you don’t always see when it comes to third-party offerings — a built-in magnetic charging puck, meaning there’s no need to provide your own charger. Not only will such a setup save you money, but it also keeps you from having to finagle with inserting or mounting Apple’s own charger. Watch our brief hands-on video walkthrough inside for a rundown of the device’s features.
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