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Xiaomi officially launches its US and European stores in early June
After a brief dry run, Xiaomi is just about ready to officially launch its online store in both the US and Europe. The Chinese tech firm has announced that the Mi Store will be available in the US on June 1st, and will reach France, Germany and the UK on June 2nd. As before, you're not about to score phones like the Mi Note Pro or Mi4 through this shop -- it's all about mobile-oriented accessories, such as the Mi Band activity tracker, Mi Headphones and Mi Power Bank. If you're only interested in scoring a deal on a wearable or power pack, though, you won't have long to wait.
Clip-on adds gesture control to Pebble Time and Android Wear watches
Aria is a small add-on that clips underneath a smartwatch band and lets you control the device with finger gestures. It's an accessory for an accessory, which sounds kind of ridiculous, but it's not like you have a lot of choices when it comes to adding gesture control to your gadget anyway. The remote control-like clip-on can access any feature you'd usually access through the touch screen or the watch dial, completely freeing up your other hand for tasks like eating, drinking or talking on the phone. Possible gestures include tapping, flicking your fingers, and closing and opening your hand -- you can configure it all through its companion app.
Razer's latest gaming mouse mat is a light-up wonderland
Think your mouse pad is a little lifeless? Razer thinks it can spruce things up. Its new Firefly gaming mat is ringed with customizable lighting that can glow and pulse in 16.8 million colors. It'll even sync with Razer's Chroma-badged peripherals, if you're bent on putting on a coordinated show. The Firefly will undoubtedly be one of the most expensive mouse pads you could buy when it ships in June for $60, but you could easily justify the expense if you already have a flashy PC case sitting under your desk.
The best accessories to upgrade your action camera
"Have action cam, will travel." That's probably what was going through your mind as you pecked your credit card details in when buying your first GoPro, Drift, Sony or what have you. We promise, it won't be long before you're looking to kit it out with some accessories. In fact, more than any other gadget, the humble action cam craves to be accessorized and adapted for a seemingly unlimited number of applications. It's lucky then, that there's a truckload to choose from. If you're thinking it's all just poles and helmet mounts, you're in for a surprise (though that's definitely a good place to start). We've rounded up a bunch of the best that should cover everyone from the weekend warrior to pro film crews. This is your action camera, upgraded. (Psst: Check the galleries for more info on each product).
Apple finally has a dock for your iPhone 6 (updated)
When Apple switched the iPhone to the smaller, simpler Lightning connector back in 2012, it also ditched one of the iPhone's most appreciated accessories: the dock. Yes, for the past three years you've usually had to either buy a third-party cradle or accept that your smartphone would lay flat on its back. At long last, though, you have an official option. Apple has quietly released the iPhone Lightning Dock, a simple perch that keeps any Lightning-equipped iPhone standing while it's charging or playing tunes through the dock's built-in audio jack. At $39, it's certainly not the cheapest dock you can get. If you insist on first-party gear, though, you can order this peripheral today. Update: There were in fact Lightning-equipped docks before, but they were specific to the 5c and 5s (and the 5 by extension). This dock works with all Lightning-based iPhones, and it'll probably be a good fit for your iPod touch, too. You might not want to try it with an iPad given that tiny base, though.
Xiaomi opens its online accessory shop in the US and Europe
We knew that Xiaomi was beta-launching its online accessory store in the UK this week, but now it's become clear that other regions are also being supported. The Mi Store will be available at two separate time slots: 7PM PT/ 10PM ET (May 18th) for customers in the US, followed by 1PM CET (May 19th) for people in the UK, France and Germany. As we reported before, this is a limited launch that will allow the Chinese phone maker to tentatively test consumer demand in these markets. Only four products will be sold -- a pair of headphones, a couple of portable batteries and its Mi Band fitness tracker -- and they'll be available in limited quantities. So if you're interested in being an early Xiaomi adopter, it's best to get in as early as possible. If the store is successful, who knows, we might not have to wait too long before its smartphones and tablets are also available in the West.
Xiaomi starts small with a UK online accessory store
Xiaomi is about to enter the UK market, but it won't be selling the Android phones and tablets it's best known for. Mimicking its plans for the US, the company is starting with an online accessory store for its Mi-branded headphones, battery packs and fitness trackers. Xiaomi will be taking orders from midday on May 19th, but be warned, as the store has been firmly branded with the "beta" label. As Android Authority reports, this means that all of the accessories will be available in limited quantities -- so once Xiaomi has sold through its pre-determined amounts, that'll be it. Game over. Products will ship directly from Xiaomi's warehouses in China, so be aware that you might have to pay some import duties. Clearly, Xiaomi is using this limited launch to test the UK's waters, but who knows, if it's successful maybe we'll see a full-time store selling its flagship Mi Note in the future.
Onkyo's music player is also DAC and headphone amp for your phone
The chatter surrounding high fidelity listening devices and services picked up over the last year or so (thanks, Neil Young), and Onkyo hopes its new 3-in-1 device will lure you to the land of high definition. The company's aluminum-wrapped DAC-HA300 is not only a portable music player for audiophiles, but it also serves as both a headphone amp and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for iOS and Android devices, or even your office workstation. With its primary function, the PMP can wrangle up to 128GB of tunes via a microSD card for 192 kHz/24-bit listening, while also serving as a headphone amp for that set of cans you take along on the daily.
Neptune outs dumb screens, accessories for its weirdo wrist computer
Technology is all about big ideas, and this one from Simon Tian will probably need its own aircraft hangar. The creator of the Neptune Pine believes that it's time for us to ditch our smartphone, laptop and set-top-box in favor of the Neptune Hub. As we reported, the Neptune Hub is a wrist-worn computer that crams the guts of a smartphone into a chunky plastic bracelet. Instead of using the hardware as a phone, however, users are encouraged to bring along a dumb screen that connects to the Hub. But that's the beginning of Tian's idea, not the end.
Xiaomi will tiptoe into the US by selling accessories, not phones
The world's most valuable startup (for now) is finally getting ready to sell stuff in the United States, just... maybe not the stuff you were expecting. At an intimate media gathering in San Francisco, Xiaomi global VP Hugo Barra revealed that the buzzy Chinese phone maker will start selling its low-cost fitness band (see above) and accessories like power banks and headphones to US customers through its Mi.com commerce site later this year. Here's the rub, though: Barra was quick to add that that neither the company's phones nor its tablets are making the leap into US waters just yet.
Apple cracks down on accessory makers to discourage leaks
Follow the Apple rumor cycle and you'll notice that accessory makers play an important role in leaks -- some of them "borrow" factory blueprints to produce cases and other add-ons for iPhones and iPads that are still weeks away from launch. Well, the crew at 1 Infinite Loop is apparently fed up with these companies spoiling the surprise. Sources for 9to5Mac claim that Apple made key accessory producers sign agreements preventing them from getting design details from anyone besides Apple itself. If the firms give in to the temptation and ship leak-based products, Apple warns of "penalties" that could include refusing to stock the offending goods at its stores.
A roundup of recent hardware reviews on TUAW
Last week, we reviewed a variety of hardware and accessories that'll complement your favorite iOS or OS X devices. Here's a quick roundup of recent hardware reviews that you may have missed: PicoPro: A laser projector about the size of an iPhone 6 Plus iMacompanion: Kickstarted accessory puts a USB 3.0 port at the front of your iMac Twelve South ParcSlope stand for MacBook provides style and comfort TUAW will be back next week with another round of in-depth hardware reviews, so be sure to drop by and check out what's new and what's useful for your Mac, iPhone or iPad.
PicoPro: A laser projector about the size of an iPhone 6 Plus
Several times in the past, TUAW has done reviews of pico projectors - projectors that are so small that they can be slipped into a pocket on a backpack or in a briefcase. Designed to make presentations on the road less burdensome, pico projectors have always had one Achilles Heel - the visual quality of the image they project. A new projector from Celluon called the PicoPro (US$349) aims to bring high resolution and contrast, long battery life, and noise-free operation to tiny projects. The PicoPro was introduced to the world at CES 2015, and TUAW is one of the first sites to get a hands-on look at the new device. Specifications Dimensions: 6 x 3 x .5 inches (152.4 x 76.2 x 12.7 mm) Weight: 6.7 ounces (189.9 grams) Resolution: 1920 x 720p (16:9 aspect ratio) Interface: HDMI/Miracast/DLNA Battery life: 2 hours for wireless, 3+ hours for cabled Contrast Ratio: 80,000 to 1 Design Design-wise, the PicoPro is a tiny box that's smaller in length and width than an iPhone 6 Plus. It's divided into two "sections", one that contains the actual projector and the other containing the various ports (HDMI, micro-USB for charging, headphone). There's no need to focus the PicoPro, as it uses lasers to project the image and has infinite focus. It focuses as sharply an arms-length away from a wall as it does from 10 feet away. The PicoPro comes with a small carrying pouch, and with iOS devices you'll need to supply your own digital AV adapter to connect to the HDMI cable. Unfortunately, PicoPro doesn't support AirPlay, so all iOS and Mac connections will be through the HDMI cable. For those who are fans of this site who use other mobile platforms, a slightly less expensive version called PicoAir is available for $299 that works only with the wireless Miracast and DLNA interfaces. It's a stylish little device, and one you won't be embarrassed to pull out of your briefcase. Function With any projector, the proof is in the viewing. Just how bright is the image, and is it easily readable? Can the projector be used in a bright room, or does it require near-darkness. How much noise does it make? And does it do a good job of projecting Keynote and PowerPoint presentations? To test the PicoPro, I connected it to an iPhone 6 Plus using the Apple Lightning to HDMI connector and an included HDMI cable. My test documents were a number of Keynote presentations that I use while teaching an iOS class. Holding the PicoPro in my hand and wandering around my home office to find "targets", I was able to clearly see the bright image from the projector on a variety of surfaces. Your best bet will probably still be to project onto a reflective screen in a slightly-darkened room, but I was able to project slides onto a textured ceiling in daylight and clearly read all of the text. Even on a very saturated blue wall with some daylight coming through windows, the text on my slides was very readable. The color reproduction of the PicoPro is incredibly good, and the image is sharp from edge to edge. The fact that you never have to focus is worth the price of admission. I don't know how many times I've watched as a hot projector has slowly gone out of focus. There are some additional positives - it's absolutely cool in operation and creates no sound at all. No more raising your voice to be heard over the scream of a cooling fan! Following is a video of the PicoPro from "Eli the Computer Guy" at CES; note that the flickering is due to filming the projection with a digital camera - in reality, the image shows virtually no flicker unless you're moving it around. Conclusion Up to this point, I haven't been impressed with any of the pico projectors I've seen. However, that has changed with the Celluon PicoPro. The image quality and brightness out of this tiny box is stellar, and to think that it does it all without making a sound or getting hot. There are no expensive bulbs to burn out (those often cost just as much as the PicoPro itself!), and using an iPhone, an adapter, and this projector makes for a featherweight presentation tool. My only negative is that the device doesn't support AirPlay. The non-HDMI, wireless-only version of this project will sell for $299, and it would be awesome if Celluon would support iOS - the choice of enterprises everywhere. We were also unable to get word on a shipping date and retail outlets for the PicoPro. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible
iMacompanion: Kickstarted accessory puts a USB 3.0 port at the front of your iMac
It's always a pleasure to see projects graduate from Kickstarter or Indiegogo and actually become available for sale. One project that was intriguing a few months ago, the Wiplabs iMacompanion (US$39.99), is now in the BiteMyApple.co and Amazon.com stores. iMacompanion is a USB 3.0 extension port that matches the sleek design of the iMac and adds that port to the front of your iMac where it's easy to get to. Here's our review. Design The brilliant design of the iMacompanion was what drew me - and a number of backers - to the product on Kickstarter. Rather than clip some sort of USB extension to the front of the iMac like the BlueLounge Jimi ($14.95) where it really doesn't look too much like a part of your computer, the designers at Wiplabs made the iMacompanion match the aluminum base of the iMac where it sits. A completely flat USB 3.0 cable then runs under the iMac base and around to the back of your computer where it plugs in. The result? You have a good looking USB port that looks like it actually belongs on the iMac base and is always available should you need to plug something in - without reaching around to the back of the iMac. It's possible to plug a pair of iMacompanions into the ports on the back of the iMac and to place them side by side on the base. The little device comes with a good sticky material on the bottom so that it stays in place on the base when you plug cables or flash drives into it. I had issues with the Jimi occasionally popping out of its USB port if I didn't hold that clip with my hand while plugging something into it. That doesn't seem to be a problem with iMacompanion. Function Installing iMacompanion is simple enough - just peel off the paper backing on the adhesive pad, then stick the little extension onto the base of the iMac. I put it in the center for aesthetic purposes, but you could put it anywhere you desire as long as it's on the front edge of the base. You'll need to tip your iMac to one side to run the flat cable under the base of the computer, but once you've done that you can get back to a normal posture for your iMac. Unsurprisingly, the iMacompanion works just like any USB port. I find it to be extremely useful for using my iPhone 6 Plus with my iMac through the Duet Display app and TenOne Design Mountie, since I no longer have to fish around the back of the iMac to plug in a USB cable. Conclusion iMacompanion is a well-made and good-looking accessory for any iMac made since 2004. It adds a much-needed front USB port without detracting the overall design concept of the iMac. My only complaint? The price. $40 is a bit much for an accessory of this type, and I hope that Wiplabs can work on bringing the price down soon. Unsolicited personal pitch If you're a fan of crowd-funded projects like iMacompanion, join Backerjack's Ross Rubin and me for a half hour of talk each week about a handful of unique and sometimes useful campaigns on The Backerjack Podcast. Rating: 3 stars out of 4 stars possible
Twelve South ParcSlope stand for MacBook provides style and comfort
One of our favorite accessory design shops here at TUAW is Twelve South, and they're our heroes for a couple of reasons. First, they design and manufacture useful and stylish accessories for Apple products only. The second reason? Everything they make is top quality. The latest product to emerge from Charleston, SC is the ParcSlope desktop stand for MacBook (US$49.99). Check out our review, then enter for an opportunity to win a ParcSlope from TUAW and Twelve South. Specifications Dimensions: 2.8" high x 8.3" wide x 9.6" deep (7.1 x 21.1 x 24.3 cm) Weight: 2 pounds (.91 kg) Angle: 18 degrees Design ParcSlope was designed as a hybrid laptop stand instead of the traditional stand that lifts the MacBook off of your desk, requiring you to acquire and use a totally separate keyboard and pointing device. Instead, ParcSlope lifts the back of your MacBook up off of the table, bringing the screen up a bit higher for more comfortable viewing and typing. Made of solid aluminum, ParcSlope works with any MacBook. It doesn't matter if you have a current 11-inch MacBook Air or one of the discontinued 17-inch MacBook Pro monsters, it's going to work for you. As with all other Twelve South accessories, ParcSlope is designed specifically with Apple products in mind. There are some ridges on the top of the unit that allow for screen clearance when the screen is opened on an 11, 13, or 15-inch MacBook (the 17-incher will be off the top of the ParcSlope, so it doesn't need a ridge). There's a silicone lip holding the MacBook in place, and rubber feet on the bottom to keep your desk or table from being scratched. In case you're wondering about the "ParcSlope" name, well - Park Slope is a trendy neighborhood in Brooklyn, NY, and the "Parc" pays respect to Xerox's Palo Alto Research Center (PARC), where Steve Jobs and other Apple employees had their first look at a graphical user interface for a computer. Function My test of the ParcSlope was done with a 13-inch Retina MacBook Pro. Setup of the stand is drop-dead simple; you just put it on the table. You're done. Plop the MacBook Pro on top, open the screen, and get to work. There's some cable management built into ParcSlope as well - there's a hole in the back of the aluminum through which you can weave your power cable, USB cables, Thunderbolt cables (this is perfect with a second display, by the way), you name it. The cables are held in place by the stand when disconnected from the MacBook. Since I usually type on a gently angled Apple Wireless Keyboard that's placed flat onto a desktop, I wasn't sure how I was going to like the steeper angle provided by the ParcSlope. As it was, the higher placement of both the MacBook's screen and having my arms and hands a bit higher up actually felt better than typing on a flat MacBook keyboard. Your mileage may vary; you can get a feel for how the ParcSlope holds the MacBook by grabbing something just under 3 inches in height and sticking it under the back edge of the computer. Conclusion As usual, Twelve South has knocked another one out of the park (or should I say "parc"?) with the ParcSlope. It's solid and should last you through the next ten generations of MacBook, and it makes any MacBook a more comfortable and usable member of the Mac family. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway C'mon, you know you want a ParcSlope of your very own. All you have to do to have a chance at winning one is to fill out the form below. 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 January 30, 2015 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Twelve South ParcSlope valued at $49.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Crazy good Loop Attachment Straitjacket case now available for iPhone 6
Chicago-based Loop Attachment is back on our radar again, now that the company has released its unique Straitjacket Case for iPhone 6 ($US34.95). While nothing has changed in this TUAW 3.5-star rated iPhone case in terms of design, materials, or just plain usefulness, it's now available in the larger iPhone 6 size in some eyecatching colors - blue/black, red/black, white/gray, white/mint, and black/gray. I'm not currently using the Straitjacket since I have an iPhone 6 Plus, but I can vouch for just how useful the case is in providing protection for your iPhone while also giving you a place to slide an ID and credit card or two. It has a great grippy feel and really adds a splash of color to your favorite iPhone. And now, one lucky TUAW reader's going to get a blue/black Straitjacket case for iPhone 6 in a giveaway! 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 January 30, 2015 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Loop Attachment Straitjacket for iPhone 6 valued at $34.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
The iPhone case that might get you killed
You've already seen an iPhone case that could get you arrested -- and if not, feel free to check it out -- but there's an even more potentially hazardous smartphone cover out there. This "Gun Grip Case" is about as extreme as it gets if you're looking to cause a stir by chatting on your iPhone in public, and aside from the novelty value there's really no other reason anyone would want to carry this thing around. When in full view there's really nothing about this case that is intimidating, but the danger comes in sliding it into your pocket, where the hand grip and trigger would likely remain exposed. Oh, and when you're gripping the case to chat on your phone it also looks like you're trying to hide a handgun on the side of your head, which is probably not the best idea either. Whatever you do, don't attempt to take your phone out of your pocket if law enforcement calls you out, or things might end very badly for you.
RAVPower 15W Solar Charger, Savior battery pack keep your gadgets going
We're in the midst of winter in the Northern Hemisphere right now, but that doesn't mean that you can't start making plans for summer fun in the great outdoors. Today I'm reviewing two products that will keep your gizmos going. The first is designed to let you charge up anywhere, as long as the sun's out: the RAVPower 15W Dual-Port Solar Charger (List price US$99.99, available for $56.99). The second is targeted more for day-to-day use: the RAVPower RP-PB18 Savior External Battery Pack ($99.99, available for $49.99). RAVPower 15W Dual-Port Solar Charger I'm a fan of photovoltaic solar energy, so much so that my house here in sunny Colorado has a 9 kilowatt array on the roof. The RAVPower 15W Dual-Port Solar Charger is a lot smaller, both in size and capacity, but you don't need all that much power to charge your devices. The design is wonderful. You have a 24 ounce fabric folio covered with polyester canvas on the exterior that folds out revealing three separate panels. Located at four locations around the folio are metal-line eyeholes; these are used with carabiners (four are included) to attach the array to your backpack or a tent, or hang it from tree branches. There are two USB ports available, one with a 2A output, the other with a 1A output. Both, of course, send out that current at the USB standard 5 volts. RAVPower uses what they call "iSmart Technology" to match the maximum charging current with the device so that it is charged in the least amount of time. To test the review device, I unfolded the Solar Charger and put it on an outside table next to my iPhone 6 Plus to see how much of a charge it would pick up in just ten minutes. Of course, the charging time is going to depend on a variety of factors - cloud cover, angle of the sun, time of day, and so on. The when I plugged the iPhone 6 Plus into the Solar Charger, it immediately responded with notification that it was charging. I shut the iPhone's display off, waited ten minutes, and then turned the display back on. During that time, it grabbed 4 percent more power, climbing from 89 percent charged to 93 percent charged. It's not a scientific estimate, but based on that information, that the Solar Charger could fully charge an iPhone 6 Plus from 0 to 100 percent in a little over four hours. Remember, this was with late afternoon sun in the winter... so it could be faster under other conditions. Chances are good that you will want to use the Solar Charger with some sort of external battery pack so that you can still use your device during daylight hours, which is why the next portion of this review is about the RAVPower RP-PB18 Savior External Battery Pack. Conclusion The well-built RAVPower 15W Dual-Port Solar Charger has a surprisingly low price point compared to competing portable solar arrays, and is a perfect accessory for camping, hiking, picnics and bicycling. Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible RAVPower RP-PB18 Savior External Battery Pack The Savior series external battery pack is a perfect all-in-one travel companion, featuring a wall plug, a 9000 mAh battery, and a built-in Lightning Connector. It comes in black or white, and there's a USB output port as well for charging those older Apple devices or other gadgets that take power from mini or micro USB. Unlike most of these products, RAVPower throws in some nice goodies; a carrying bag to protect the exterior of the battery pack, a USB to micro-USB cable, a micro-USB to mini-USB adapter, and a micro-USB to 30-pin Dock connector adapter. RAVPower received Apple MFi (Made for iPad/iPhone/iPod) certification for the device, so you can rest assured that it will work properly with any of your Apple mobile devices. The Lightning cable provides power to your iPhone or iPad at a maximum current of 2.4A for fast charging, while the USB port has a maximum current of 1 A. The entire package weighs about 8.63 ounces (237 grams) and is compact at 1.1 inch thick x 2.76 inches wide by 4.49 inches tall (28 x 70 x 113 mm). One feature that you won't find on many of RAVPower's competitor's external battery packs is the Grade A+ cell that's inside the pack. It has no charging memory effect, and can be used through up to 1,000 charging cycles. Conclusion With a built-in AC plug, Lightning cable, USB port, a 9,000 mAh long-life battery, a variety of USB plug adapters, and a carrying bag, the RAVPower RP-PB18 Savior is a perfect traveling companion at a very reasonable price (the $50 price tag). Rating: 4 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway TUAW and RAVPower are giving away the RAVPower RP-PB18 Savior External Battery Pack. 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 January 27, 2015 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a RAVPower RP-PB18 Savior External Battery Pack valued at $99.99. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Seidio OBEX Combo rugged case for iPhone 6: Review and giveaway
It's so nice to see the flood of new cases for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus, especially in the special genre of rugged cases. While some manufacturers are still trying to figure out how they're going to keep the big iPhones dry and protected, Seidio has jumped out with the OBEX Combo for iPhone 6 (US$89.95, on sale for $64.95) and iPhone 6 Plus ($99.95, on sale for $74.95). Specifications Dimensions (iPhone 6): 6.02 x 0.49 x 3.16 inches (152.84 x 12.36 x 80.25 mm) Weight (iPhone 6): 1.9 ounces (53.87 grams) Dimensions (iPhone 6 Plus): 6.80 x 0.50 x 3.59 inches (172.77 x 12.61 x 91.07 mm) Weight (iPhone 6 Plus): 1.9 ounces (53.87 grams) Meets IP68 rating for dust- and water-proofness. Exceeds MIL-STD-810F drop protection standard Design As with most rugged cases, the OBEX Combo (the combo refers to a combination of colors) is built like a tank. That doesn't keep the design from being Touch ID compatible, which is a plus. The case can be submerged in water up to 3.3 feet (1 meter) deep indefinitely, or up to 6.6 feet (2 meters) for 30 minutes. Rubber plugs keep the ports sealed against water and dust. The iPhone's touchscreen is a little bit less sensitive due to a second screen protector that's provided, but it worked well after I got used to pressing just a bit harder on the screen. The case comes with a holster clip for belt mounting, just what you'd want when driving heavy machinery around a construction site or walking around a factory. The case comes in four color combos, hence the name - black and gray, white and gray, ping and gray, and yellow and gray. Functionality As with most of these rugged cases, the case needs to be properly installed in order to maintain waterproofness. You'll want to watch the company's installation video for details: Still, the OBEX Combo was much easier to install than some competing cases I've reviewed. I liked the fact that the belt clip swivels and that the holster locks onto the case. I don't know how many times I've had phones that have just "jumped out of" holsters, so this is a nice design feature. I didn't try dunking the phone in the case, but it seems extremely solid and the rubber stoppers for the headphone and Lightning ports feel very secure. The case also features raised edges that should help protect the screen, and the screen protector itself has a 4H hardness rating. If there's one negative about the OBEX Combo, it's that it did seem a bit "slick" to me. The TPSIV (Thermoplastic Silicone Vulcanizate) rubber strip around the sides of the case is ridged on the corners, but not on the sides where it would provide a more secure grip. Conclusion Seidio has created a rather slim, but very protective case in the OBEX Combo. While it's not inexpensive, the level of protection afforded by this case can keep your iPhone 6 or 6 Plus from a variety of damage if you spend a lot of time outside or in hazardous conditions. Rating: 3-1/2 stars out of 4 stars possible Giveaway Have an iPhone 6? Want some real protection for that phone? We're giving away a Seidio OBEX Combo in the black/gray color combination. 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 January 26, 2015 11:59PM Eastern Standard Time. You may enter only once. One winner will be selected in a random drawing and will receive a Seidio OBEX Combo for iPhone 6 valued at $89.95. Click Here for complete Official Rules. Loading...
Pencil by FiftyThree stylus shows up in Apple online and retail stores
FiftyThree, the company that developed the wonderful Paper drawing/painting app (free with in-app purchases), also created a companion stylus that they naturally gave the name Pencil to. The stylus, which looks like a carpenter's pencil but has some amazing technology built into it, sells for US$49.95 for a graphite version and $59.95 in a beautiful walnut version. Up until now, Pencil was only available through the FiftyThree website and on Amazon, but the company has announced that the stylish and versatile Pencil is now available at the brick-and-mortar and online Apple Stores. TUAW will be reviewing Pencil by FiftyThree in the near future; in the meanwhile you can check out the details of the cool piece of hardware here. What I want to try the most is the adaptive palm rejection, which allows your palm or other bits of your hand to be resting on the screen while drawing or writing. Other stylus manufacturers have tried -- and most have failed -- to produce workable palm rejection, so we'll be sure to put it to the test.
