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The best iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus battery cases
This post was done in partnership with The Wirecutter, a list of the best technology to buy. Read the full article below at TheWirecutter.com. We've spent more than 140 hours testing 21 different battery cases (18 for the iPhone 6 and three for the iPhone 6 Plus), and we think the best battery case for most people is Anker's Ultra Slim Extended Battery Case. It provides an above-average 117 percent of a full charge to the iPhone 6one full charge plus another 17 percentand at only $40, it's by far the least expensive. The result is the highest ratio of charge percent per dollar and the lowest cost per full iPhone recharge out of all the models we looked at. It's also the lightest and thinnest battery case we tested.
Engadget giveaway: win a powered-up accessory package courtesy of TYLT!
Few things in today's digitally dependent world can measure up to the panic when you've forgotten to charge your devices -- short of leaving home without them. It's always wise to have a backup plan, though, for when those juice levels drop and we've got a selection of power and connectivity minded goodies lined up for today's giveaway. TYLT has provided a selection of its colorful, design-centric products that will keep your battery levels high and your ears happy. This package includes the ENERGI+ Backpack (which doubles as a mobile charging station), along with a variety of adapters, connectors and its TUNZ Bluetooth speaker and headphones. For those NFC-enabled commuters, there's even the Capio universal smartphone car mount and charger. This rainbow of tech flavors is headed to one lucky Engadget reader this week, so just head on down to the Rafflecopter widget below and it could be yours. Winner: congratulations to Qiyu L. of Atlanta, GA.
Engadget Live L.A. was all about that bass (and some treble)
We've had a great run this year with all our Engadget Live events, taking us to Austin, Seattle, Boston and finally Los Angeles. We packed into the Belasco Theatre in downtown L.A. along with some amazing people and exhibitors -- one who was all about that bass and some...bananas.
Engadget Live hits Los Angeles this Friday!
As we told you last time, there's lots going on in Los Angeles on Friday nights, but we still think our event trumps anything else you could possibly have planned. Our final Engadget Live event of the year kicks off at 7PM this Friday (October 3rd) at the Belasco Theatre.
TYLT Energi 2K Travel Charger: Hands-on review and giveaway
Let's hear it for multi-function accessories! In this case, the TYLT Energi 2K Travel Charger (US$39.99) is not only a small travel charger with folding AC prongs, but it's also 2200 mAh battery pack. In my book, that makes it as useful as Shimmer Floor Wax! We're going to take a look at this multi-functional accessory here in a moment, and then you have a chance to get your hands on one before all of the Kickstarter supporters. Specifications Dimensions: 2.87 x 2.09 x .91 inches (7.3 x 5.3 x 2.3 cm) Weight: 3.5 ounces (99.22 gms) Battery capacity: 2200 mAh Colors: green, red, blue, black Input: AC 100 - 240V, 50/60 Hz Design Highlights There's not too much you can do with a power brick, but I like the clean lines of the TYLT Energi 2K. It has rounded corners, the TYLT logo is embossed into the plastic so it's relatively unobtrusive, and there's just one button on the entire thing -- in the front. That button toggles a built-in status LED that goes between green (100 - 80% charged), amber (80 - 30% charged), red (less than 30% charged), or blinking red (too drained to charge your device). The AC prongs stick up just enough over the top of the Energi 2K to make it easy to flip them out without even looking at the device. Functionality HIghlights I had an opportunity to review TYLT's Energi battery packs a few months ago, and was very impressed with them. The Energi 2K Travel Charger is no exception, as it pushes out power to your iPhone at a steady 5V at 1A, and it has more than enough capacity to totally recharge an iPhone 5s. As a charger, it's about four times larger than Apple's diminutive AC adapter. But of course, Apple's tiny power cube doesn't include a battery pack. TYLT does not include a USB to Lightning charging cable, so you'll have to supply your own. In a way, that's a good thing since you'll be able to use the Energi 2K with older iPhones and iPads, or even to lend a charge to your Android-toting friends. Conclusion TYLT's Energi 2K does what it's supposed to do -- give you a charge both when you're near a wall socket and when you're away from one. The design is stark, but functional, and I like the ability to find and extend the prongs without even looking at the Energi 2K. TYLT has given this dual-purpose accessory a value price as well, which gives it an extra boost in the rating. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway Just in time for your summer getaways, TUAW and TYLT are giving away an Energi 2K Travel Charger. Here are the rules for the giveaway: Open to legal US residents of the 50 United States, the District of Columbia and Canada (excluding Quebec) who are 18 and older. To enter, fill out the form below completely and click or tap the Submit button. The entry must be made before June 24, 2014 11:59PM Eastern Daylight Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a TYLT Energi 2K Travel Charger valued at $39.99 Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Crowdfunding Roundup: A late Spring flowering of projects
Every week, TUAW provides readers with an update on new or significant crowdfunded Apple-related projects in the news. While our policy is to not go into detail on items that haven't reached at least 80 percent of their funding goal, this update is designed to give readers a heads-up on projects they might find interesting enough to back. Let's start this week with a look at Kickstarter projects that are underway: TUAW readers know my affinity for wood products, which is why We Wear Wood immediately caught my attention. This campaign is 24 percent funded toward a modest $6,000 goal with 26 days to go. You can get wood iPhone cases, which has been done before, but my favorite parts of this project are the iPad and MacBook skins made out of a variety of woods. This next project is just about to squeak past its funding goal with 36 days to go! The Leaf Mount is a collapsible stand with a sticky micro-suction surface that holds your iPhone or iPad in place. We've seen collapsible stands before -- Rain Design's iSlider is a notable example -- and they're a very handy accessory to have around. And speaking of iPad mounts, TabletTail is an innovative and extremely flexible mount from Octa. It's not just a mount, but a complete ecosystem of components to make mounting your iPad just about anywhere a piece of cake. The project is 43 percent funded with 28 days to go, and looks like it could be a winner. TUAW reader Hal Sherman always sends us a few good Kickstarter finds for this roundup, and the Tylt wall charger/battery pack is a perfect example of what he digs up for us. With three weeks to go, Tylt is about 48 percent funded. It's a tiny fold-up wall charger that has a built-in battery pack. Plug it in when you're near a wall socket to charge both the battery and your iOS device, then take it along with you for an extra boost in the field. It's a LED lamp! It's a charger! It's an iPhone stand! It's DOT LIGHT, and it's well on its way to become a product. DOT LIGHT (one of those products with an unexplainable tendency to yell in upper case letters) is 38 percent funded with 37 days to go, so I think this one will definitely make it to market. It's a pretty versatile lamp, so if you need light and charging capabilities all in one box, this could be the product for you. Man, I could have used this on the little weekend trip my wife and I just got back from. The SmartQuad 4-port travel USB charger from Skiva Technologies is powerful (9.6A/48W) and just the thing for charging that pair of iPads and pair of iPhones you carry with you -- all while being plugged into just one AC outlet. SmartQuad is rocketing its way towards success, with 72 percent funding with 55 days to go. Go ahead, push this one over the top while thinking about traveling somewhere exotic. Our next Kickstarter campaign comes from Greece, where vegetable-tanned leather is used to make a lot of beautiful things. In this case, Grasping Hand wants to create a line of Apple cases made from this material, referred to as "Hector Hardskin" (sounds more like a superhero's nemesis!). These gorgeous cases are made for everything from iPhones up to 13-inch MacBook Pro laptops, and provide protection while looking good. However, the campaign is starting a bit slowly, only at 11.9 percent of funding with 38 days to go. And our last Kickstarter project for the week is the Avbio Brick & Bullet. The Bullet is a device that you plug instruments, mics, speakers and other items into, then use Ethernet AVB to link to the hub -- the Brick. It creates a live audio network with absolutely no delay and very high quality. Our musician readers will want to take a look at the video for this project, which is 26.3 percent funded with just 18 days left in the campaign. Now here's a self-run crowdsourced project. Osmo is designed to give kids a way to play with physical objects while getting feedback from an iPad app. What's cool is that there is some great shape recognition going on in the app. You can order an Osmo at half-price until June 22nd, and deliveries are expected to begin in late summer of 2014. And now for something completely different -- a few Indiegogo projects. The first is PERES, an electronic "nose" that pairs with your iPhone and an app to let you know if that chicken, beef, pork or fish in the store (or your refrigerator) is still good. It does this by detecting volatile organic compounds that are created when meat is going bad. PERES is 139 percent funded, with just 4 days to go. Give it a whirl if you'd like to keep yourself safe from bad meat. Trust me, food poisoning isn't fun. And last, but not least, we're looking at the ONEPOCKET Case & Magic Wallet for iPhone 5s and 5. It's 542 percent funded with over a month to go, but you can still sponsor this project and get one of these cool case/wallet mashups. The idea is that you not only get a protective case for your iPhone, but a decently sized wallet as well -- unlike most case/wallets on the market. That means that you can put everything in one pocket, hence the name. That's it for this week, folks! Be sure to join us next week for even more great projects that could use your funding dollars. If you're aware of any other crowdfunded Apple-related projects, be sure to let us know about them through the Tip Us button at the upper right of the TUAW home page for future listing on the site. Just make sure that they actually have a valid reason for existing, OK?
Tylt's Energi line of battery packs keeps your iOS devices running strong
It's not every day that a new entrant into the accessories market supplies us with their entire external battery pack product line, but that was the case with Tylt, a two year-old company that is making a splash with some nicely-designed devices. We received one of each of their Tylt Energi line of portable battery packs, most of which include a built-in charging arm. But the most fascinating part of this line is the level of certifications that each battery pack has captured, making them a rarity in a world where it seems like everyone is making cheap battery packs. For TUAW readers that will be at Macworld/iWorld 2014 on Friday, March 28, be sure to drop by the TUAW Meet Up at 4 PM PDT in room 131 at Moscone Center North Hall, as we'll be giving away some of these fine battery packs. Specifications Energi 2K Price: US$39.99; Capacity: 2000 mAh at 1A; Ports: one USB; Size: .43" x 2.28" x 3.74" (11mm x 58mm x 95mm) Energi 3K Price: US$59.99; Capacity: 3000 mAh at 2A; Ports: one USB, micro-USB charging arm; Size: .56" x 2.56" x 4.05" (14.3mm x 65mm x 103mm) Energi 3K+ Price: US$69.99; Capacity: 3000 mAh at 2A; Ports: one USB, Lightning charging arm; Size: .56" x 2.56" x 4.05" (14.3mm x 65mm x 103mm) Energi 5K Price: US$79.99; Capacity: 5200 mAh at 3A; Ports: one USB, micro-USB charging arm; Size: .56" x 2.76" x 5.59" (14.3mm x 70mm x 142mm) Energi 5K+ Price: US$89.99; Capacity: 5200 mAh at 3A; Ports: one USB, Lightning charging arm, micro-USB charging arm; Size: 56" x 2.76" x 5.59" (14.3mm x 70mm x 142mm) Energi 10K Price: US$69.99; Capacity: 10400 mAh at 4.1A; Ports: three USB; Size: .94" x 3.15" x 4.72" (24mm x 80mm x 120mm) Common Specifications: Colors: Black and Blue, Black and Red, Black and Gray (10K does not have red option) Certifications: CTIA-IEEE1725, UL 1642, UN 38.3, RoHS Compliant, FCC, CE Design Highlights Probably the two Tylt Energi models that will be of the most interest to iOS fans are the 3K+ and 5K+. Why? These two have an attached Lightning charging arm; think of it as a built-in cable that is always with the battery pack. Of these two, the 3K+ is perfect for charging an iPhone or iPod touch, featuring enough power to recharge your iPhone more than once. The 3K+ also has an empty USB port, and the device can charge two iPhones at the same time. The 5K+ not only has that Lightning charging arm, but also features a micro-USB charging arm and an empty USB port. It can handle an iPad, or up to three iPhones simultaneously. Physically, the battery packs are quite attractive, featuring a common design with a black case and a color (blue, gray or red) stripe across the middle. All of the packs except the 10K have a single LED status indicator -- the 10K has five LEDs to indicate the relative battery level of the pack. Functionality Highlights I tried both the 3K+ and 5K+. The 3K+ charged up in about 3-1/2 hours from a fully discharged state, while the 5K+ took about 6-1/4 hours to charge up. All of the Energi packs include a USB to micro-USB cable for charging purposes, although you'll need to supply your own AC to USB adapter. The Lightning charging arm on both the 3K+ and 5K+ tuck away in the sides of the battery pack when not in use, a nice feature since you don't have to worry about having a cable tangling in your favorite carrying bag. Personally, I think it's interesting that Tylt has gone through the process to have the packs certified. According to Tylt, "IEEE 1725 regulates battery design, production, assembly, leakage protection, overcharge, mechanical performance and quality control." Tylt's Energi line is also "certified to meet UL's vast protocol for Lithium batteries known as UL 1642." The UN38.3 regulation ensures the safety of battery products on aircraft and in other transport, with the Energi products meeting and exceeding "all eight UN requirements including: Altitude, Thermal Test, Vibration, Shock, External Short Circuit, Impact, Overcharge, and Forced Discharge." So what does all of this certification nonsense do for you? Tylt says that they're using the same manufacturing and safety standards used by companies like Samsung and Apple. There's no memory effect on these batteries, which will give you 500 full cycles of life. The mAh capacity is exactly as stated, and the batteries are guaranteed to work in extreme temperatures. Finally, the company provides a one-year warranty on the products since they're so sure they're going to operate as advertised. That's a far cry from the much less expensive, but shady battery packs we've seen from some manufacturers. It's great to see a company that is willing to go for quality over price. Conclusion All external battery packs are not alike, and Tylt's Energi line of battery packs is one of the first we've seen that puts performance and safety in front of low price. That's not to say that the Energi packs are costly -- some manufacturers actually charge more for packs with less pedigree. We consider the Energi packs to be among the top performing ones we've tested, and the 3K+ and 5K+ are perfect companions for your iPhone since they include a built-in Lightning charging arm. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible
IRL: Nook Simple Touch with GlowLight and the PowerPlant portable battery pack
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. Does our own self-professed book collector Dan Cooper need an e-reader? No, but he might get one anyway. And do you need a portable charger with 3.6 times the capacity of an iPhone 5? Yes, or at least that's what Darren tells us.
IRL: TYLT's Energi charging backpack and the Logitech FabricSkin Keyboard Folio
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. This week, Darren Murph, the man of many bags, is at it once again, trying out a charging backpack we got to handle for just a few minutes back at CES. In addition, we'll give you a peek at Logitech's suspiciously Surface-like FabricSkin keyboard case. Find it all after the break.
IRL: TYLT cables and a standoff between two Galaxies
Welcome to IRL, an ongoing feature where we talk about the gadgets, apps and toys we're using in real life and take a second look at products that already got the formal review treatment. IRL is a column about stuff we're using in real life and yes, that sometimes includes neon-green charging cables. It also includes all manner of smartphones, as you know, and this week we've got a short-and-sweet write-up comparing the GS3 and GS4. Is the 4 worth an early upgrade? Not if you ask Jon Fingas, anyway, but that's mostly because he's happy with the camera, performance and LTE radio on last year's model.
Energi charging backpack by TYLT hands-on
Seemingly made for the urban warrior, the Energi charging backpack by TYLT does precisely what it claims to do. Hosted on Christie Street as a crowd-funded project and shown off here at CES 2013, the bag offers an array of compartments for everyday product storage (as you would assume), in addition to a charging base within its main pouch. The brick is capable of charging up to three devices simultaneously via USB, as well as a micro-USB port for juicing the bag itself. There's also an accessible slit on the lower right side for threading out cords and charging devices on-the-go. It's currently on sale for $169, but look for that price to jump to $189 once the company reaches its $150,000 goal. Sarah Silbert contributed to this report.
