Accessories

195 'Accessories' stories November 2011 - December 2015

Shop Apple’s holiday gift guide, save up to $350: great 9to5 deals on every device + accessory

Jeremy Horwitz Dec 17 2015 - 10:33 pm PT

Every year, Apple puts together a beautiful-looking holiday gift guide on Apple.com, packed with the latest iOS devices, Macs, and accessories people would love to receive as gifts. The hitch is that Apple’s prices are almost always full retail, with no discounting, so it’s easy to spend anywhere from $5 to $300 more per item than if you shopped around.

This year, 9to5Toys and 9to5Mac have done the bargain hunting for you. We’ve found savings on virtually every item on Apple’s holiday shopping list, which this year is organized into 6 sections: Gaming, Photography, Music, Fitness, Learning and Travel. Using the links below, you can save up to $350 on a new 12″ MacBook, between $20 and $80 on many third-party accessories, and up to $130 on a pair of Beats headphones…

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OnePlus thinks your iPhone should feel like their Sandstone Black Android phones [Gallery]

Cam Bunton Dec 1 2015 - 4:00 am PT

2 Comments

Android smartphone maker OnePlus is no stranger to unusual marketing tactics. Whether it’s because it’ll only sell phones to those with an invitation, asks customers to trade in their iPhone or Samsung phones for one of its devices, or by leaving out features many Android fans love, it seems to promote discussion with whatever it does. Its latest move is equally interesting, to say the least…

Today, OnePlus has officially started selling iPhone cases in its popular ‘Sandstone Black’ finish. For the unaware, the original OnePlus One smartphone’s rear cover came with this case, as does the OnePlus 2’s. It’s essentially a black plastic with a rough, sand-like finish. A lot of customers love it because of the extra grip. Personally, I much prefer a softer finish. Regardless, OnePlus believes you want to feel this Sandstone Black texture on your iPhone 6/6s so it made you a case.

Like all things from OnePlus, the Sandstone Case is packed in attractive, minimalist packaging. Sliding off the lid reveals the case sitting right on top, while on the inside of the box lid is a physical invite card. Not only does OnePlus want you to feel the texture of its flagship phone, it also wants you to buy the OnePlus X (its 5-inch all-glass and metal smartphone).

As plastic shells go, there’s nothing really wrong with the OnePlus iPhone case. There are well-placed cutouts in all the right places and it’s very easy to apply. It adds a little thickness to the phone and a lot more grip. If you’re biggest concern with the iPhone 6 is how easily it slips out of your hand, the OnePlus case might not be a terrible idea. Still, personally, I’m not a fan of the texture as I find it too rough to want to hold on a daily basis.

As for the invite card, that’s a simple piece of white plastic with a scratch-off portion on the back which reveals the unique invite code for those who want to buy a OnePlus X. Some of the cases even come with invitations to buy a limited edition ceramic-backed model of the device.

The OnePlus Sandstone case is available to buy today from OnePlus.net in the US, UK and mainland Europe for $19.99/£15.99/€19.99.

Mini-Reviews: Anker PowerCore+ 10050 / PowerPort 2, Just Mobile AluPlug and Mophie Powerstation 2X / 8X

Jeremy Horwitz Nov 30 2015 - 11:29 am PT

1 Comment

Several brand-new iPad and iPhone accessories I’ve been testing recently aren’t necessarily worthy of full standalone reviews, but because they come from some of our readers’ and editors’ favorite companies, they’re still worth knowing about. Four of the five are sequels to prior products I’ve covered, while one is totally new — though similar to an earlier design.

Today, I’m taking a quick look at Anker’s PowerCore+ 10050 ($33) and PowerPort 2 ($14), Just Mobile’s AluPlug ($30), and Mophie’s “new” Powerstation 2X ($60) and Powerstation 8X ($150). The names may sound familiar, but each of these power accessories is actually different from what came before, and better…

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Cyber Monday: The best deals on Apple accessories, software, & more

Jordan Kahn Nov 30 2015 - 10:57 am PT

1 Comment

While Black Friday often gets the most promotion, the deals aren’t over. Some of the best deals aren’t available until today, Cyber Monday, as many retailers offer the same or even deeper discounts in order to help move as much stock as possible ahead of the Christmas holidays.

Below we’ve done the dirty work for you, compiling the best of the best deals on accessories, software, and more for all of your iPhone, iPad, Macs, and other Apple products.
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Black Friday: The best deals on iPhone/iPad/Mac accessories + software deals and more

Jordan Kahn Nov 27 2015 - 7:57 am PT

1 Comment

Black Friday is upon us and there is a long list of great deals on accessories, software and more for all of your Apple devices. Below we’ve collected some of the best we’ve seen, and check back often throughout the weekend as we update with more finds. Below you’ll find some significant discounts on popular iPhone, iPad, and Mac accessories, as well as some deals on rarely discounted software:
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V-MODA Crossfade Wireless headphones – unboxing and review [Video]

Cam Bunton Nov 26 2015 - 6:58 am PT

4 Comments

V-MODA makes some of the best earphones available. While sports stars and celebrities are normally seen wearing Beats, you’re more likely to find a pair of V-MODA cans wrapped around the necks of DJs. And if I’m going to trust someone’s judgement on an audio product, I’ll choose a music professional over a sportsperson any day.

In the past, I’ve owned the Crossfade M100 and now, the award-winning earphones are back with an added feature: wireless connectivity. I’ve been using the Crossfade Wireless for the past week or so, and they’re rather fantastic…

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9to5Mac’s iPhone Holiday Gift Guide: best picks for every budget

Jeremy Horwitz Nov 23 2015 - 6:27 am PT

5 Comments

Welcome to 9to5Mac’s iPhone Holiday Gift Guide. Bookmark it or send it to your favorite people, because either you or someone you care about is going to find the ideal iPhone holiday gift inside!

I’m genuinely excited to present this collection to you, because the iPhone is the one Apple product I take everywhere — and couldn’t give up. Since I’ve been using iPhones and their accessories since the first iPhone debuted in 2007, I have a lot of experience sorting the good and great stuff out from the junk.

My iPhone Holiday Gift Guide picks are all best-of-breed options, selected for their combination of reasonable pricing and excellent performance. Whether you’re looking for the perfect case, great headphones, a smart car mounting solution, a battery pack, or a way to improve your iPhone’s camera, you’ll find the smartest iPhone gift picks below…

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Review: Aukey wireless sport earphones will stay in your ears, won’t break the bank

Cam Bunton Nov 14 2015 - 5:59 am PT

8 Comments

Aukey is a Chinese company more commonly known for producing charging accessories like in-car chargers and multi-port USB stations. But, it also builds headphones. I’ve been testing the wireless Bluetooth earphones while out running for a few months now. For $25, it’s really hard to argue against the Aukey Sport Bluetooth Headphone…

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The best iPad Pro cases, covers, keyboards & accessories

Jordan Kahn Nov 10 2015 - 2:16 pm PT

20 Comments

With iPad Pro officially going on sale tomorrow (possibly at midnight tonight Cupertino time if Apple follows past launches), it’s time to move our attention to accessories for the device.

Will you go the Apple route and stock up on the official but pricey Apple keyboard, case & cover, and Apple Pencil? Or perhaps you’re looking for accessories with features that aren’t offered by Apple’s. Whatever the case, below we’ve started rounding up the best of the best accessories for iPad Pro. Most are available to order now while a couple are coming soon. We’ll be adding more as they pop up in the weeks following the iPad Pro’s launch.
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Pad & Quill launches new handcrafted Horween leather bands for Apple Watch

Jordan Kahn Nov 5 2015 - 9:04 am PT

5 Comments

Pad & Quill, makers of some our favorite handcrafted wood and leather goods for iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch, today announced a new lineup of Apple Watch bands.

Adding to the first ‘Classic’ lineup of bands it launched (which we reviewed and loved), today the company started taking orders for the new “Lowry” band collection pictured above.

Here’s a closer look at the Lowry Leather Cuff for Apple Watch, which comes in 3 color options for the 42mm Apple Watch. Colors include American Tan, Chestnut or Galloper Black, inside you’ll find a velvet soft suede interior, while outside you’ll notice full-grain vegetable-tanned leather from Horween Tannery and “Durable nickel finish Apple Watch lugs and buckles”:

And here’s a closeup of the standard Lowry leather band, which includes all of the same features minus the cuff design. There is also a version for the 38mm Apple Watch for the standard Lowry band:

The Lowry Leather Cuff sells for $129, while the standard Lowry Leather band sells for $109. The company includes a 25 year warranty and 30 day money back promise with both of the products.

Compare that with the Pad & Quill “Classic” bands we reviewed previously ranging from $89 to $99.

You can check out all of Pad & Quill’s Apple Watch accessories here, which includes a new limited edition slim version of the Classic band.

Rock Jaw Alfa Review: Replace your EarPods with these affordable, premium earbuds

Benjamin Mayo Oct 6 2015 - 10:15 am PT

14 Comments

The Rock Jaw Alfa Genus V2 headphones ($49.90) are not especially meant as a replacement for EarPods, but that’s how I see them. Apple’s bundled EarPods have a lot of positives. They are ‘cheap’, lightweight and small. You can chuck them in a bag or pocket without worrying too much. This is in stark contrast to Beats on-ear and over-ear headphones, for example, which are expensive, bulky and heavy. However, EarPods leave much to be desired in regard to sound quality.

It turns out the Rock Jaw Alfa’s fill this gap nicely. They have the same portability as EarPods but with a focus on also providing great sound to listen to. They aren’t perfect but they are pretty great value earbuds. Read on for our full review …

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MediaTek outs two new SDKs for building HomeKit accessories with its chips

Jordan Kahn Sep 30 2015 - 10:59 am PT

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MediaTek is today launching support for Apple’s new HomeKit platform for iPhone-connected home automation accessories with new SDKs for two of the company’s systems-on-a-chip (SoC) products. That means that manufacturers using the MediaTek chips can now easily support HomeKit for controlling products from iOS apps and Siri.

MediaTek, a pioneering fabless semiconductor company and a market leader in cutting-edge systems-on-chip (SoC), today announced it has released two software development kits (SDKs) that support Apple HomeKit. Apple HomeKit is a framework built into iOS that enables secure home control from iPhone, iPad, iPod touch or Apple Watch and lets home accessories work together in smart ways.

The two new SDKs support MediaTek’s MT7688 product, a chip that manufacturers are using for high performance home accessories like webcams and wireless speakers, and the MT7687, a chip being used for lower power Wi-Fi devices like garage doors, power outlets, and thermostats.

Apple officially launched the HomeKit platform back in June with the first batch of products going up for preorder. Since then, other companies have announced incoming support for the platform including hardware bridges that will allow popular existing home automation platforms like Philips’ Hue lights connect to Apple’s framework. Yesterday, 9to5Mac exclusively reported Philips’ HomeKit bridge is planned for release early next month.

To get a feel for HomeKit in the wild, check out our review of one of the first products to hit the market with HomeKit support, iHome’s $40 SmartPlug.

STM Drifter review: Water resistant, light cargo-pants of MacBook backpacks

Cam Bunton Sep 26 2015 - 10:40 am PT

3 Comments

STM is a relatively well-known Australian company that makes great quality, but slightly pricey bags and cases for your gadgets. What I’ve always loved about the company is that most of its bags don’t look anything like the typical accessories you’d associate with consumer tech. They just look like regular bags, except they’re not. Nowhere is that more clear than with the STM Drifter; a well-made, lightweight, spacious and durable back pack with enough pockets and compartments to carry virtually anything…

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Review: Apple iPhone 6s Leather Case and Lightning Dock [Video]

Dom Esposito Sep 23 2015 - 10:30 am PT

13 Comments

The iPhone 6s and 6s Plus launch is right around the corner and today we’re taking a closer look at Apple’s new Leather Case and Lightning Dock. These accessories are about as simple as it gets, but keep that Apple vibe going on if that’s what you’re going for…

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Protect your iPhone, save your money: Poetic’s sub-$20 iPhone 6s & 6s Plus cases are ready today

Apple announces new iPhone 6s accessories: leather and silicone cases, metal docks

Mike Beasley Sep 9 2015 - 12:08 pm PT

12 Comments

Following the announcement of the new iPhone 6s today, Apple debuted several new accessories for the upcoming smartphone. The company announced that the existing silicone and leather cases will be available in five new colors, while a new line of metal docks will be available in colors matching the phones at $49.99.

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Apple debuts physical ‘Smart Keyboard’ case, ‘Apple Pencil’ stylus for iPad Pro

Zac Hall Sep 9 2015 - 10:29 am PT

28 Comments

Alongside the highly anticipated iPad Pro, Apple also revealed a variety of new accessories designed to be used with the new tablet.

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Review: The Premium One W2 dual dock is a perfect Apple Watch + iPhone companion [Video]

Dom Esposito Aug 28 2015 - 6:59 am PT

7 Comments

Today we’re taking a look at what might be the best Apple Watch dock in the business. If you’re tired of just plopping your iPhone or Apple Watch on a table at night, this is a much better alternative. Meet Enblue Technology’s Premium One W2 dual dock and charging stand. Quite possibly one of the longest accessory names I’ve heard, but I’ll easily forgive that for the functionality it brings along…

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Mini-review: FŪZDock for Apple Watch, a compact charging stand ideal for nightstand mode

Ben Lovejoy Aug 27 2015 - 7:41 am PT

8 Comments

A lot of Apple Watch owners who splashed out on a nice charging stand must have been swearing at Apple when watchOS 2 was announced. Most existing charging stands out there position the watch vertically, which was the obvious thing to do at the time – but then along came watchOS 2, with Nightstand mode one of its headline features.

Nightstand mode allows the watch to serve as a bedside clock while charging – but only when on its side, with the buttons on top. Bad news for anyone who already laid out the cash for a vertical stand, and worse news for manufacturers whose stock was effectively rendered obsolete overnight.

For those who haven’t yet bought a stand, the good news is that manufacturers have been quick to respond. Zac Hall reviewed Spigen’s low-cost Apple Watch Night Stand, and now FŪZ Designs has launched a similarly-priced alternative in the form of the FŪZ Dock for Apple Watch …
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LG debuts ‘Rolly’ universal, rollable Bluetooth keyboard

Cam Bunton Aug 27 2015 - 1:13 am PT

2 Comments

In a press release early this morning, Korean tech giant LG announced that it wants to grab a bigger share of the mobile accessories market. It wants to do so with Rolly Keyboard, a wireless, portable, rollable universal keyboard. Opened, it forms a four-row keyboard with close-to full size keys. What makes the keyboard unique is the method by which it’s stowed. Unlike the traditional single fold down the middle, each row of keys has a hinge, enabling the user to roll it up in to a ‘stick’.

Rolly Keyboard is powered by a single AAA battery and uses two Bluetooth 3.0 channels to pair to two separate devices and enable easy-switching between them, similar to the Microsoft Foldable Keyboard we reviewed recently. What’s more, it also features two arms to hold smartphones or tablets upright. It’s made from polycarbonate and black ABS plastic and LG claims it “offers satisfying tactile feedback often not found on flexible silicone keyboards”. Judging from the selection of keys on the device, it seems it’s going to be compatible with multiple platforms, including Apple-flavored devices.

Instead of offering a separate row for extra function keys for tasks like media playback, volume etc. LG has opted to use an individual ‘Fn’ key which — when pressed with a labelled key — will allow users to skip tracks, play/pause, change volume, pair devices and much more. And it won’t be alone on the accessory market his year:

“LG Rolly Keyboard is just one of the many premium input devices we’ll be unveiling in the coming months as we expand our accessories offerings,” said Seo Young-jae, vice president in charge of Innovative Personal Devices at LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company. “The goal was to create a product that could add more value to LG smartphones and tablets at the same time offering a unique design proposition that hadn’t been explored before.”

LG will show off its Rolly Keyboard at IFA in Berlin at the beginning of next month and launch in the U.S. in September. Pricing and availability details will be shared once it’s available to consumers.

Review: Pad & Quill’s Classic Band dresses Apple Watch in rugged, American leather

Zac Hall Aug 24 2015 - 1:10 pm PT

10 Comments

Like a lot of 9to5Mac readers, I’m generally a purist when it comes to matching Apple hardware with accessories: I prefer iPhones and iPads without cases unless using one of Apple’s iPhone 6 Leather Cases or iPad Air Smart Covers and I can’t resist their overpriced Lightning Docks. If Apple made an Apple Watch Charging Stand, I’d be tempted to toss my Spigen Nightstand in a drawer in favor of the official solution.

And while I own both the Classic Buckle and Milanese Loop Apple Watch bands, I wear the simpler black Sport band on most days aside from a nice dinner or more formal occasion. Both are fine bands, but Classic Buckle can feel a bit too dressy with a t-shirt and shorts and Milanese Loop isn’t as comfortable as the other bands. For myself, I’ve found that there’s a space in between completely casual and totally formal for Apple Watch bands. Pad & Quill’s Classic Apple Watch Band takes a more traditional strap approach than even Apple’s Classic Buckle and fits this space, with four leather color options and two metal finishes that match stainless steel Apple Watches or Space Gray/Space Black Apple Watches.

I’ve been eager to try the Classic Apple Watch Band since Pad & Quill began transitioning their expertise in fine leather bag and case making toward prototyping Apple Watch bands a few months ago. After finally getting my hands on a Whiskey-colored American leather version, I’ve settled on a few first impressions on what is now my first favorite third-party Apple Watch band. Read on for details:

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The Apple Watch can grab health data from bands, but that won’t stop an Apple Watch 2

Mark Gurman Aug 24 2015 - 11:08 am PT

16 Comments

Last week, Europe-based news website letemsvetemapplem.eu reported that Apple is preparing “Smart Bands” to add additional health tracking sensors to the current-generation Apple Watch. The article went on to say that Apple would release the bands starting next year instead of refreshing the Apple Watch’s core hardware, with speculation that Apple does not believe people will upgrade their Watches annually like iPhones. Based on discussions with our sources, we do not believe this report to be entirely true.

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Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard review: An ultra-thin and versatile keyboard for your iPad or iPhone

Cam Bunton Aug 22 2015 - 7:07 am PT

15 Comments

The iPad accessory market is full of keyboards. Most of them double up as cases, they’re about as big as the iPad and they’re not well optimized for other devices. The Microsoft Universal Foldable Keyboard is different. It’s small enough to carry around in your pocket when folded, and works with iOS, Windows and Android devices. What’s more, you can have it paired to two devices at once and switch between them with the press of a button. It’s safe to say that this is one of the most versatile and portable Bluetooth keyboards on the market. This review was written entirely on it.

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Apple to simplify retail stores by demoting iPods to shelves, dropping iPad Smart Signs

Mark Gurman Aug 18 2015 - 8:14 pm PT

16 Comments

Apple is preparing to make significant changes to its stores to simplify the experience by relocating iPod stock to accessory shelves and removing iPad-based Smart Signs, according to several Apple Retail managers briefed today on the plans. Apple will begin rolling out these notable changes overnight on Tuesday of next week to stores in the United States so that customers who begin coming in on Wednesday see the refreshed look.

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