Tag: accessories

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Razer announces new Roblox-branded keyboard, mouse, and headset

Global gaming peripheral brand Razer is teaming up with the online virtual universe Roblox to release the platform’s first co-branded peripherals.

The two are teaming up to bring Roblox-branded Razer BlackWidow V3, Razer Orochi V2 and Razer Barracuda X. In addition to the Roblox-branded peripherals, the collab also gives Roblox players exclusive in-game items along with their purchases.

Each peripheral in the co-branded collection features Roblox‘s logo and comes with an exclusive virtual item that can be redeemed through a code on Roblox.

  • The Razer Orochi V2 – Roblox Edition comes with a virtual Razer Cyberpack
  • The Razer BlackWidow V3 – Roblox Edition comes with a pair of virtual Razer Cyber Wings
  • The Razer Barracuda X Roblox Edition comes with a virtual Razer Cyber Helmet

The new Roblox-branded Razer peripherals will be available starting April 28th at Razer.com, Razer stores and select retailers.

  • The Razer Orochi V2 – Roblox Edition costs $89.99 USD (roughly $122 CAD)
  • The Razer BlackWidow V3 – Roblox Edition costs $179.99 USD (roughly $245 CAD)
  • Razer Barracuda X – Roblox Edition costs $129.99 USD (roughly $177 CAD)

MobileSyrup has reached out to Razer regarding Canadian availability and pricing.

Image credit: Razer

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Belkin to utilize recycled plastics in popular products

Belkin is refreshing its accessories lineup of power products by adding environmentally friendly materials to some of its bestsellers.

Popular wireless chargers, power banks, wall chargers, and car chargers will soon contain 73-75 percent post-consumer recycled plastics (PCR) and plastic-free packaging. PCR turns used plastic headed to landfills into new products.

The change will apply to the following products:

The move is expected to save 7,000 metric tons of carbon emissions and reduce the products’ overall CO2-eq emissions by 67 percent.

The company says there will be “little difference” between its original products and those made with PCR.

Environmentally friendly products have become a trend in the industry. Apple has plans to make its entire product lineup carbon neutral by 203o. Several of its newer products, like the Apple Watch Ultra, are made with recycled materials.

Samsung has set a 2050 deadline to reach net zero emissions. Targeting its Device eXperience (DX) division first, the company says its working on a system that will reuse extracted minerals collected from waste batteries.

Image credit: Belkin

Source: Belkin

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Pixel Watch Hands-on: Google’s Pixel ecosystem starts today

Google is stepping firmly into the wide world of wearables with the launch of the new Pixel Watch, and it represents a big shift in the way the search giant values its hardware lineup, and maybe even the slowly-forming Pixel ecosystem.

That said, none of that matters if the watch isn’t any good, and in my brief hands-on time with it, I walked away feeling very excited to see where Google’s smartwatch ambition goes over the next few years.

The company has been teasing us with hints since I/O, so we’ve known that the new Pixel Watch is thin, round, and features a very minimal take on what a smartwatch should be. From the software to the hardware, it’s a simple device designed to be comfortable and easy to use.

At 41mm in diameter, it’s smaller than the larger-sized Apple Watch and it weighs in at 36g, making it substantially lighter than even the smallest stainless steel Apple Watch and the Fitbit Sense 2. Instead, it’s actually much closer in weight and size to Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 5.

This all adds up to a supremely comfortable wrist computer, but it does make me worry about battery life.

This story focuses on what the watch feels like to wear and what it might represent for Google. For a more detailed view of the specs, read Jon Lamont’s initial overview of the Pixel Watch.

How it felt to wear

The device’s stainless steel frame feels incredibly sturdy in the hand and almost like a small Pebble, allowing it to nestle into your wrist as comfortably as a standard round watch.

Before moving on from the design, I’d be remiss not to mention the bands. There are seven different types ranging from standard silicon sport bands to metal links like you’d expect on higher-end watches.

They’re quite enticing and offer a reasonable number of options to start the Pixel Watch out in the correct direction when it comes to customizability. Standouts to me were the comfortable leather bands that felt premium and came in a few Google colours to match the new Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro. The metal link band also felt really nicely sized for my wrist and gave the watch a classy feel without adding too much bulk.

On the software side of things, there’s a lot to love. Google has packed just about everything people love about Fitbit’s fitness tracking into this sporty watch, except for a temperature sensor. It’s a little hard to test in the crowded Google showroom, but MobileSyrup’s Fitbit expert Jon Lamont is going to be looking deeper when he reviews the watch soon.

Beyond that, I can say that scrolling around the interface felt smooth, but there were brief moments of loading when I tried to customize the watch face. Beyond that, it looked great. Whatever team at Google designed the software deserves a pat on the back because it looks great and does a fantastic job of hiding the device’s bezels.

Some may be thrown by the larger bezels, but most of the interface hides them and based on my time with the watch, it truly feels like something you’d forget you had on since it’s minimal and comfortable.

On the watch face side of things, there are tons of faces, ranging from modern takes on classic watch designs, abstract options and faces with customizable areas that can show a few complications like the date, weather, your Fitbit scores and more. There are enough to choose from, and it will be exciting to see what gets added in the future. Tapping on these complications felt nice and decently responsive.

To change the watch face, all you need to do is tap and hold on to the device. You can even use photos from your own library. This sounds like a small thing, but it’s one of my favourite features of the Apple Watch, so it’s nice to see Google include that detail here. There’s even a really cool watch face called ‘Shapes’ that has a really fun minimal take on Google branding that I really liked.

The glass specifically is 3D Gorilla Glass and only time will tell if this version is prone to scratches. That said, interacting with it felt glassy and natural.

Other smartwatch perks

It’s exciting to see Google Maps’ turn-by-turn navigation on another wrist-based device. Newer Samsung watches running Wear OS 3 can also do this, and as a biker, I can say that having directions pop up on your wrist in a big city can be extremely helpful.

Beyond that, other Google apps you’d expect are present, like YouTube Music, Gmail, Google Wallet and, of course, Google Assistant.

The company touted that the heart rate sensor on the new Pixel Watch is also the most accurate sensor ever in a Fitbit-supported device. Google is also hyping up the watch’s sleep-tracking ability, but that’s another thing we’ll need to wait until the review to test.

Beyond the health tracking, I didn’t notice anything else that jumped out at me, but since the watch is running WearOS 3.5 and can get third-party apps, it will be exciting to see what comes in the future.

Finally, the watch also has fall detection that can call emergency services if you fall and remain motionless.

Final thoughts

Google is calling the Pixel Watch the latest device in the ‘Pixel Collection,’ and its ambitions for a larger Google-based ecosystem are becoming clearer all the time.

The company is in a good position to become a dominant consumer technology company even more than it already is, but as it seems to be learning with the refined Pixel 7 series and the new Pixel Watch, you need to create hooks and familiarity to keep people coming back.

Devices like a really helpful smartwatch and great wireless earbuds are a step in the right direction for the company. They may even hook in a lot of users with the watch, but getting people familiar will take time. Google has pump-faked us on so many things already, from the Pixelbook to Stadia, and it might be hard for consumers to jump on board with the latest and greatest Google product out of fear that it will be an afterthought in a few years.

Regardless, the Pixel Watch is a stunning wearable, and I’m really excited to see what Google does in the coming years to pad out the Pixel Collection to really make it a compelling ecosystem to invest in.

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Working from home is easy with the perfect desk setup

Since the pandemic began, I’ve been building up my desk to be the ultimate work-from-home space and now, I thought I’d share some of the gear I love the most.

As a writer and a video creator, I use a lot of gear for work, and this article covers the majority of it. However, I have a lot more, so let me know in the comments if you’d also like to see some of the camera gear I use and the studio space where I film.

The desk

I use an Ikea wooden desktop that I’ve stained to be a dark brown. Last year I added some old legs from an Ikea standing desk, so now it has sit/stand functionality too. I like the no-nonsense design, how cost-effective it is and how sturdy and large it is. The top is starting to get scuffed up, but the nice thing about it being wood and not varnished is that it will be easy to sand down and redo in a few years.

When I added the standing legs, I also attached a cable management net that came with the standing desk, and it’s made it a lot easier to keep my cords organized while the desk moves up and down.

The Monitors

The main display at my desk is the epic Huawei MateView monitor. This giant 28-inch screen has a 3:2 aspect ratio and a 4K resolution. It’s a joy to use for productivity and looks stunning.

It’s not perfectly colour accurate, but it’s better than the majority of monitors, and for most of my work, it’s close enough. The other downside is that it can’t be VESA mounted since much of the functionality is built into the stand (at least it’s adjustable).

Inside the stand is a speaker set, a headphone jack, two USB-A ports and a USB-C with 65 watts of power delivery. This means that if you have one USB-C from your monitor to your computer, it will connect them as a display and charge your laptop.

My other display is an older LG 27-inch 4K display. I have another one of these since I liked it enough, and a couple of times per year, it goes on sale for $350, which feels like a fair price for a 4K display with decent colour accuracy. Again, it’s not perfect, but it’s 10-bit and vibrant enough for my liking. I also keep this one positioned vertically, and usually, my chat apps and Tweetdeck live on that screen.

Desktop accessories

For charging, I keep a OnePlus Wireless charger on my desk since it’s sleek and keep my phone positioned so I can easily see new notifications. Beyond that, there is usually a single USB-C and a lighting cable dangling off the side of the desk somewhere to charge other phones, and my AirPods Max, which I use at my desk when video editing or chatting on discord. I’m less picky about what brick my iPhone cable goes into since it can only Fast charge at 18 watts, but my USB-C is usually a OnePlus brick and cable since it can fast charge OnePlus phones up to 65 watts and other devices up to 45-watts. To power everything on my desk, I have a power bar zip tied to the leg. It’s a little janky, but since the bar raises and lowers with the desk, it helps with cable management.

I use a Quirky cable organizer to organize cables on top of the desk. It’s plain and black, which is a little boring, but it more than makes up for that in functionality. I’ve found this model to be the perfect size/weight ratio, so it’s heavy enough to hold cables down without needing to be secured to the desk permanently but still small enough not to be an eyesore. The fact that it’s not permanently attached to the desk helps a lot too.

To the right of the cable organizer is a little bin that I got from the dollar store, which holds the most random assortment of things I have no excuse for. However, there’s currently a convenient SmallRig camera tool that I use to mount cameras to tripods and fix other things. My travel SD card reader and main USB-C dongle live in there too. The small reader is handy to use with the iPad Mini or Air, and the larger version I used to use a lot more when I used other MacBooks with only a few USB-C ports, but since I’ve stepped up to the 14-inch Pro, it doesn’t get as much play as it used to.

My phone pillow is a prized possession. This one I got at a press event, but the tag says it’s from a company called Toddy Gear. I love this since I never have to worry about scratching my phone or desk or making noise when I move it around. Since I generally have a few phones in rotation, having a second phone stand on my desk is a must.

I almost forgot to mention the Rain laptop stand since it’s so standard, but I find it looks nice, and the heavy all-metal weight makes it a stable platform for all laptops. Holding up my vertical display is a very basic Amazon monitor arm that I bought for like $40, and it sucks to move, but it does its job well enough.

Behind the monitors, I also have a Nanoleaf light strip to give a calm ambiance to my workspace when I don’t want to have all the lights on, which is most of the time. This light strip is nice and bright, but it’s a struggle to use on camera since it strobes under most lighting conditions and shutter speeds. When I want it to be a lot brighter, I have an adjustable LED light on an arm. This little lamp is plenty bright, and it’s also where I hand my headphones, which are currently a pair of AirPods Max since I’m deeply entrenched in the Apple ecosystem.

My computers

As a tech journalist, you can safely assume I’m a grade-A nerd and that there are a few computers on my desk at any time.

My main workhorse, for the time being, is a 14-inch M1 Pro MacBook Pro. So far, I love this machine since it’s portable and just a dream to edit video on. The screen is also colour accurate so having it for intense colour work is a dream come true.

My spec is the 16-core GPU model with 32GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. It might be a little overkill, but I wanted to invest in a computer that will be my main editing machine for years to come, so this is what I ended up with. I also chose the M1 Pro over the Max since the Pro supposedly has better battery life, and since I do a bit of travelling and writing, I still value portability and battery life quite highly.

Tucked beside my desk is my custom editing/gaming Windows desktop. I started my most recent rebuild of this PC at the start of the pandemic and just recently finished it off with a new GPU and a paint job. Inside, it’s running a Ryzen 7 3800x, 32GB of RAM and an RTX 3060. For the most part, it’s been solid, and ever since I outfitted it with all Noctua fans, it’s also silent, but it’s not the most reliable machine.

On my birthday last year, I added 16GB of extra RAM and that fried my motherboard’s RAM lanes at the time (as far as I can figure). After about three days of troubleshooting, I got it working again with a new motherboard, but it was never quite the same. The screen glitched, and other times apps and games would crash randomly. I was hoping the new GPU would solve this, but it only seemed to make the problem occur less frequently. Next on my list is to replace the RAM, but for now, I stick with the reliability of the MacBook and game occasionally.

Tucked behind my monitors are various Chromebooks, laptops, MacBooks and iPads, all held vertically by a heavy metal stand that I bought on Amazon. It’s nothing special, but it does help a lot with organization.

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Check out this Starbucks coffee-themed earbuds case for Samsung Galaxy Buds

Samsung partnered with Starbucks on several accessories for its Galaxy S22 smartphones, Galaxy Buds and more.

Unfortunately for Canadian Starbucks fans, these accessories are only available in South Korea. Still, some of the accessories are really neat. I mean, just look at the coffee-themed Galaxy Buds case — it’s so dang cute!

Plus, the case reportedly supports the Galaxy Buds 2, Buds Live, and Buds Pro. In other words, it sounds like you should be able to rock the coffee case with most of Samsung’s available earbuds.

Unfortunately, not all of the Starbucks-themed accessories are as great as the coffee case. There’s another earbuds case, but it appears to just be the standard charging case with a Starbucks logo stamped on top.

There are also several phone cases, with two options for the S22 and S22+ and two options for the S22 Ultra. For the S22 and S22+, there are two basic, frankly boring Starbucks cases. One is green with rubber sides, what appears to be a fabric back, and the Starbucks logo. According to a picture from the Starbucks website, the case matches the colour of the Starbucks apron.

The other S22/22+ case is a darker shade of green with the Starbucks logo and text reading “Count stars in your galaxy.”

The Galaxy S22 Ultra cases are much more interesting. Both cases are variations on Samsung’s arguably weird ‘strap’ case. The first is light green and the strap features a Starbucks logo with a bear instead of the typical siren. The other case is dark green and the strap looks like a Starbucks order receipt (with order number “S-22”).

The receipt strap case is arguably the most unique of the bunch, although it might be weird walking around with what looks like a receipt stuck to the back of your smartphone.

You can see all the Starbucks x Samsung accessories here.

Images credit: Samsung/Starbucks

Source: Samsung/Starbucks Via: Android Police

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15 accessories every Mac owner should buy

Macs are incredible content creation machines. macOS is known for being fluid and easy to use. People love using Macs for work, school, and play. The Mac alone is impressive, but countless unique accessories are available to boost a person’s workspace and Mac experience. Whether you are working remotely or travelling to different countries giving presentations, there’s an accessory or two for you.

Here are 15 accessories every Mac owner needs to consider:

Satechi Pro Hub Max Adapter

USB-C hubs have been a standard must-have accessory since Apple released their first USB-C MacBook in 2015. While Apple has revised its port strategy in 2021 with its current 14-inch and 16-inch MacBook Pro lineup, there are still plenty of needs for USB-C hubs. So popular accessory brand Satechi created their Pro Hub Max adapter designed for 2021 MacBook Pros and earlier.

Satechi’s Pro Hub Max adapter offers a 3.5mm headphone jack, a gigabit Ethernet adapter, a full-size SD card slot, a micro SD card slot, a 3.0 USB-A port, a 4K HDMI port, a 3.0 USB-C port, and a 4.0 USB-C port. In addition, this adapter has a retractable 3.5mm connector to accommodate 2021 MacBook Pros and earlier.

Uniquely, this adapter allows space for the 2021 MacBook Pro’s MagSafe charger and supports up to 100W of pass-through power delivery via USB-C.

You can purchase the Satechi Pro Hub Max Adapter from Amazon for $95.99.

Incase ICON Sleeve

As the world continues to open up, you are likely venturing out to coffee shops, your local library, or travelling for work. As a result, you should have some additional protection for your MacBook whole on the go. Incase’s ICON sleeve is the best MacBook sleeve I’ve come across. While the sleeve is on the higher-end side of MacBook sleeves, the quality is far ahead.

Incase’s ICON sleeve is shaped precisely to the size of a specific MacBook. It’s done with an inner-styrofoam border, so your MacBook doesn’t move around while in transit. The ICON sleeve is protected with a rubberized border. It features a magnetic clasp instead of a zipper making for a protective and premium look.

You can buy the Incase ICON sleeve from Apple for $79.95.

Rain Design mStand

When creating a desk setup, a stand for your MacBook is a must consider. A stand can be used to have a higher video call angle or for improved ergonomics. Rain Design created a beautiful metal MacBook stand called the mStand. Their simple design resembles the aluminum foot of a previous generation iMac.

You can buy the Rain Design mStand from Amazon in three different colours; $64.98 for Space Grey, $64.95 for Gold, and $58.98 for Silver.

Brydge Vertical Docking Station

The Brydge Vertical Docking Station is a space-saving thunderbolt 3 docking station for MacBook Pros. This solid metal dock features two Thunderbolt 3 ports. A user can insert their MacBook into the dock with one hand and instantly connect to two thunderbolt 3 accessories offering up to 40Gbps data speeds and pass-through charging. Supported Macs include 2016-2021 13-inch MacBook Pros, 2016-2019 15-inch MacBook Pros, or 2019-2020 16-inch MacBook Pros.

Amazon is selling the Brydge Vertical Docking Station for $93.99.

Twelve South BookArc

Twelve South is a famous Apple-centric accessory company. The BookArc is among many unique products. Twelve South BookArc is an aluminum stand with a rubber insert for your MacBook to stand vertically. The BookArc ships with several different inserts to fit nearly every MacBook since 2015. The BookArc is a stylish way to save space on your desk. You can also run a cable under the BookArc for easy cable management.

You can order the Twelve South BookArc in Silver or Space Grey from Amazon for $69.98.

WIREDGE 100W USB-C LED Cable

The WIREDGE charge cable is a unique way to make your USB-C charge cable stand out. WIREDGE’s charge cable comes in one, two, and three-meter lengths. The cable offers up to 100W of power delivery and is made of durable fabric material. This cable’s most outstanding feature is an LED display at the end of the cable showing the wattage of the charging speed.

WIREDGE’s 100W USB-C LED cable is available on Amazon for $28.99 at one meter, $30.99 at two meters and $32.99 at three meters.

Apple Magic Trackpad

A trackpad is arguably the best way to interact with your Mac. Using a trackpad unlocks countless gestures to swipe between desktops and interact with apps. Apple’s Magic Trackpad is built out of glass and aluminum. The Magic Trackpad is Bluetooth and offers one to three months of battery life. In addition, the Apple Magic Trackpad comes with a colour-matched woven USB-C to lightning cable.

Apple sells their Magic Trackpad on its website for $149.95 in ‘Silver‘ and $169.95 in ‘Black.’

Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID

If you use an Apple Silicon MacBook attached to a monitor on a desk, you need to get an Apple Magic Keyboard with Touch ID. Apple’s Magic Keyboards connect via Bluetooth and offer one to three months of battery life. Each keyboard comes with a woven colour-matched USB-C to lightning cable for pairing and charging. What’s unique about Apple’s Magic Keyboard is that you can buy it with Touch ID. While the Touch ID function only works with Apple Silicon Macs, users can now easily unlock their Mac with a fingerprint from an external keyboard.

You can buy Apple’s Magic Keyboard with Touch from Apple’s website in the standard size for $179, $209 for the Silver keyboard with a numeric keyboard, or $229 for the Black keyboard with a numeric keyboard.

WHOOSH!

Every electronic device gets smudges on it over time. When I worked at the Apple Store, customers frequently asked what screen cleaner Apple recommends. While Apple doesn’t sell screen cleaners, Apple uses Whoosh to clean their demo devices in their retail stores. Whoosh is an excellent screen cleaning product for Mac, iPhone, or any electronic device. Whoosh’s cleaning kits come with the cleaning solution and a microfibre cloth.

You can buy Whoosh from Amazon for $22.49.

Apple World Travel Adapter Kit

The Apple World Travel Adapter Kit is a hidden gem at the Apple Store. If you’re a frequent traveller, you’ve likely collected adapters for different regions’ outlets. Apple sells a relatively inexpensive kit of Apple plugs that replace the North American prongs on an Apple 30W or higher power adapter.

The kit includes plugs for North America, Japan, China, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, Korea, Australia, Hong Kong, and Brazil. The Apple World Travel Adapter kit removes the need to carry bulky adapters for your Apple devices.

The Apple World Travel Adapter Kit is available on Apple’s website for $39.

Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive

External hard drives are standard for two primary purposes: storage and backups. If you have a lot of photos or are editing large video files, an external hard drive could be a helpful solution to deal with that large storage requirement. However, regardless of how much data is on your Mac, you need to ensure it’s backed up. In fact, I wrote a piece focused on making sure your Mac is backed up.

In addition, an external hard drive and macOS’s Time Machine feature is an excellent way to make sure data is copied in case of an emergency. The Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard is a reliable and inexpensive drive. Often, you can find Seagate’s drives on sale or offering open-box deals.

You can order a Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive on Amazon for $64.99.

Twelve South HiRise Pro

The second Twelve South accessory on this list is for iMacs and external displays. The HiRise Pro is a small storage unit on your desk and riser for an iMac or external display. Inside the HiRise Pro is an adjustable shelf to raise or lower the iMac or display. On the front of the HiRise Pro was a double-sided magnetic door. On one side is a wood finish, and the other is a metal finish to match your ecstatic preference.

You can purchase the Twelve South HiRise Pro from Amazon for $182.

Logitech BRIO

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic pushed a rise in remote work. As a result, video calls have become commonplace.

Unfortunately, many of us have lived with our poor 720p webcams built into our MacBooks. Apple improved their 720p webcams with their 14” and 16” 2021 MacBook Pros and Apple Studio Display with better 1080p cameras. However, a higher-quality webcam is a great way to make video calls feel comfortable and more professional.

Logitech makes several webcams at all different price points. But the Logitech BRIO is my particular favourite model. It’s a 4K quality camera with a wide-angle field of view and auto light correction. Additionally, the BRIO offers a built-in noise-cancelling microphone. Lastly, users can download the Logi Tune app to adjust the webcam’s field of view and lighting.

The Logitech BRIO is available on Amazon for $249.95.

Blue Snowball Microphone

Macs are well known for being content creation machines. So whether you need a better microphone for video calls, recording a podcast, or producing a video voice-over, an external microphone is an excellent addition to your Mac setup. The Blue Snowball is a small microphone that offers stellar quality for its low price. The Blue Snowball microphone connects to your Mac via a USB cable, meaning you’ll likely either need an adapter or a replacement USB-C cable.

You can order the Blue Snowball microphone from Amazon for $69.99.

Apple Studio Display

Previously, I wrote about the Apple Studio Display compared to the LG 5K UltraFine Display. The Apple Studio Display has been my preferred external display since its launch. The Studio Display features a gorgeous 5K panel with a 1080p webcam, stereo speakers, and a built-in microphone. On the rear of the display is a single Thunderbolt 3 port to connect to a Mac and three USB-C ports for peripherals.

You can order the Apple Studio Display from Apple’s website starting at $1999.

MobileSyrup utilizes affiliate partnerships. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content, though we may earn a commission on purchases made via these links that helps fund the journalism provided free on our website.

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USB-C might come to AirPods and other Apple accessories

It looks like Apple’s shift to USB-C could involve more than just the iPhone.

According to a report from Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo, Apple has plans to move its AirPods, its mouse and keyboard peripherals and more to USB-C.

It seems the Lightning port’s days may really be numbered.

In Kuo’s recent tweet, the analyst says that Apple is likely shifting away from the prospect of a portless iPhone due to Qi wireless charging’s limitations. Kuo was the first to report that Apple has plans to move the iPhone to USB-C with its 2023 smartphone lineup, which was then corroborated by Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman a few days later.

It’s unclear what the timeline is for Apple’s accessories to shift to USB-C, but this move likely won’t happen before the iPhone 15 ditches the lightning port.

It’s possible that Apple’s motivation to make the jump to USB-C is spurred by the European Union (EU) pushing a universal charging port for all devices.

As someone who has repeatedly stated that Apple will never entirely ditch its Lightning port, particularly with the iPhone, I still find these rumours difficult to believe. That said, whenever a rumour appears this often, there’s typically some level of truth to it.

The prospect of ditching all of my Lightning cables for one USB-C cable that can charge nearly all of my devices is definitely very appealing.

S0urce: @mingchikuo

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12 best iPad accessories for creatives

Apple’s iPads are powerful devices for content creation. So whether you’re a student taking notes or a content creator editing video — if you’re a creative, you’ve at least considered how an iPad could be added to your workflow.

Apps like Procreate, LumaFusion, and Ferrite have made tasks like illustration, video editing, and audio production streamlined and efficient on such a portable device. I’ve actually written about 12 apps every iPad owner needs to check out.

Apple’s iPad lineup is known for being lightweight and having incredible battery life. With Apple adding the impressive M1 chip into the iPad Air and its iPad Pro models, the company is seriously investing in performance on such a mobile device. Combine these great features with cellular capabilities, and you’ve got an amazingly flexible workstation. However, the iPad alone is just a tablet. If you’re creating content or working on the go, you’ll need some accessories to beef up your iPad experience.

Here are 12 accessories every iPad owner needs to check out:

Apple Pencil and Logitech Crayon

Whether you’re taking notes or using the iPad as a digital canvas, you’ll likely need a stylist. So, let’s take a look at the iPad’s best friend — the Apple Pencil and its less famous cousin, the Logitech Crayon. Apple offers two generations of Apple Pencil depending on iPad compatibility. So what iPad works with one Apple Pencil won’t work with the other. Meanwhile, the Logitech Crayon uniquely works iPads that support either generation of Apple Pencil.

All three stylists connect to an iPad via Bluetooth, feature palm rejection, and offer incredible low latency with their companion iPad making your writing feel as vivid as writing on paper. Which one to buy really depends on your iPad and price point.

First, we have the Logitech Crayon. This carpenter pencil-shaped stylist is the least expensive of our three recommendations. The Logitech Crayon was designed for children, offering the most straightforward pairing by simply pressing the power button. The Crayon then connects to any nearby compatible iPad. The Logitech Crayon also charges using a female lightning port and comes in either orange or grey. If you’re concerned about the Crayon’s tip being removed, don’t be. Unlike the Apple Pencil, the Logitech Crayon’s tip can only be removed using a special tool.

The Logitech Crayon is compatible with iPad (6th generation and above), iPad mini (5th generation and above), iPad Air (3rd generation and above), iPad Pro 11-inch, and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above).

Next, we have the Apple Pencil (1st generation). This sleek white stylish features pressure sensitivity for artists and designers and tilt support like the Logitech Crayon. The Apple Pencil (1st generation) offers an easy removal tip and charges awkwardly via an iPad or a lightning adapter, using its male lightning connector under its cap.

The first-generation Apple Pencil is compatible with iPad (6th generation and newer), the iPad mini (5th generation), iPad Air (3rd generation), and iPad Pro 9.7-inch, 10.5-inch, and 12.9″ (1st and 2nd generations).

Lastly, the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) improves on the Apple Pencil (1st generation) by flattening a side of the stylist. Like its predecessors, the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) still features palm rejection, tilt support, and pressure sensitivity. In addition, the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) improves on the Apple Pencil (1st generation) by removing the cap and featuring a flattened side. This flattened side allows the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) to magically attach to compatible iPads for pairing, storage, and charging. The Apple Pencil (2nd generation) also features a new double-tap gesture where users can switch between their illustration tool and the eraser. Finally, the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) also has the option to be engraved when purchasing from Apple’s website for a touch more personalization.

The second-generation Apple Pencil is compatible with the iPad Air (4th generation and above), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and above), iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above), and the iPad mini (6th generation).

Buy the Logitech Crayon for $89.95, the Apple Pencil (1st generation) for $129, or the Apple Pencil (2nd generation) for $169, all from Apple.

Apple Magic Keyboard for iPad and Logitech Touch Keyboard

Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad is perhaps one of the best iPad accessories I’ve ever purchased. The Magic Keyboard for iPad features a backlit, tactile keyboard and built-in trackpad for easy navigation. In addition, the keyboard’s floating iPad design allows for up to 130-degrees worth of tilt. There’s also an additional USB-C port for full-speed 30W pass-through fast charging for the attached iPad.

Compatible iPads magnetically attach to the keyboard and connects via their rear smart connector meaning there is no need to charge the keyboard separately or connect via Bluetooth. Apple’s Magic Keyboard for iPad comes in black or white.

It is available for the iPad Air (4th generation and above), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and above), and the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above).

Suppose you have a regular iPad or not looking to spend as much on a keyboard. In that case, Logitech makes some very compelling alternatives. Logitech’s Combo Touch Keyboard Case with Trackpad for iPad features a backlit keyboard and trackpad like Apple’s Magic keyboard for iPad. Additionally, the Logitech Combo Touch offers four adjustable viewing angles with up to 50-degrees of tilt and a holder for an Apple Pencil or Logitech Crayon. In addition, the Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard Case features a smart connector to avoid charging and Bluetooth.

The Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard case is available for iPad (7th generation and above), iPad Air (4th generation and above), iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and above), and iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above).

You can purchase the Magic Keyboard for iPad Air or the 11-inch iPad Pro for $399 from Apple. The 12.9-inch version is also available from Apple for $449.

The Logitech Combo Touch Keyboard case costs $199.95 for the iPad (7th generation and above), $249.95 for an iPad Air (4th generation and above), $249.95 for iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation and above), and $289.95 for the iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation and above).

Satechi Foldable Aluminium Stand

Whether you’re sketching out your next design or watching an Apple Fitness+ workout, you’ll want a stand to prop your iPad on. Satechi makes a stellar-looking space grey aluminum stand for iPad. This premium stand allows you to adjust your iPads height from a low sketching profile to a higher video viewing profile or to whatever angle is most comfortable. Additionally, this stand folds up into a small form factor for easy travel. Finally, it has small rubber grips to protect your iPad from damage.

Apple sells the Satechi Foldable Aluminium Stand for $54.95 on its website.

HoverBar Duo

Twelve South is known for making a lot of great accessories for Apple devices. The HoverBar Duo is a unique stand that allows you to connect near any iPad and raise it off the ground. The HoverBar Duo can sit on a counter on a foot or be mounted to a bar. You can get numerous viewing and sketching angles from the HoverBar Duo, making it an incredibly flexible stand for some niche use cases.

You can purchase the HoverBar Duo from Apple for $109.95.

Paperlike Screen Protectors

Screen protectors are a standard accessory for every Apple device. However, Paperlike’s screen protectors are a little unique. Their anti-glare screen protectors offer a nanodots surface making the iPad’s screen feel more paper-like. Paperlike’s screen protectors are an excellent option for users who want to transition away from paper or miss the friction of actual paper.

You can purchase a two-pack for any modern iPad for $49.99 on Amazon.

Anker Nano II

Apple’s iPads can fast charge using a 30W power brick. However, iPads ship with a 20W brick and Apple’s 30W brick is a separate $59 purchase. The Anker Nono II is a USB-C power brick that can charge your devices at 30W. Additionally, Anker’s power brick is 59% smaller than Apple’s, comes in black instead of white, and is $9 less expensive.

Purchase an Anker Nano II for $49.99 from Amazon.

Mcdodo 100W USB-C to USB-C Fast Charging Cable

Now that you purchased a new fast-charging brick for your iPad, you might also want to replace Apple’s white USB-C cable. Mcdodo offers a braided black USB-C charging cable making it more durable and colour matched to your space grey devices. What’s unique is this cable features an LED screen that shows the charging speed that your device is receiving.

This 4-foot cable is available on Amazon for $18.99.

UGreen USB-C Hub

Owning a USB-C iPad like the latest generation iPad mini, iPad Air or iPad Pro, you may want to connect additional devices storage or an external display. Enter UGreen’s USB-C hub. This 6-in-1 USB-C hub is built out of space grey aluminum and features three USB-A ports, an SD card slot, a micro SD card slot, and an HDMI port.

Amazon is selling the UGreen USB-C hub for $32.99.

Satechi Bluetooth Extended Numeric Keypad

Suppose you’re a numbers or spreadsheets person who enjoys working on their iPad. In that case, you may have found not having a full number-pad impact your productivity. Enter the Satechi Bluetooth Extended Numeric Keypad. Satechi has made a separate Bluetooth numeric keypad that you can connect to any iPad. Once paired, you can type more efficiently by having your numbers right at your side. The Satechi Bluetooth Extended Numeric Keypad offers 50 hours of battery life on a single charge and is rechargeable via USB-C. The keypad is available in silver or space grey and is built out of aluminum.

Grab the Satechi Bluetooth Extended Numeric Keypad on Amazon for $59.99.

USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter

If you’ve upgraded to a USB-C iPad, you may have noticed that these devices are missing a headphone jack. Although I love my AirPods, some of us have high-end wired headphones for top-notch quality audio. So grab Apple’s USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter to allow you to connect wired headphones to a USB-C iPad.

You can buy the USB-C to 3.5mm Headphone Jack Adapter from Apple for $10.

SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive

As a creative professional, you may need to move content on and off your iPad. Sometimes cloud storage isn’t feasible, or a wireless printer isn’t on the network. SanDisk has made a handy dual-ended flash drive with USB-C on one end and lightning on the other. This means SanDisk’s iXpand flash drive can work with iPads, iPhones, Macs, Windows PCs, and Android devices. The SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive comes in 64GB, 128GB, and 256GB.

You can purchase the SanDisk iXpand from Amazon starting at $53.99 for the 64GB model.

Whoosh!

Don’t lie. Your iPad screen is filthy. Being a primarily touch-first device means our iPads and iPhones get a lot of smudges on them. However, having a little bit of cleaning spray and a microfibre cloth can go a long way to keeping your devices clean and looking professional. Whoosh is the cleaning product used in Apple Stores to keep their demo devices looking fresh.

You can buy a 100ml bottle of Whoosh and a microfibre cloth off Amazon for $14.99.

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Kensington details new accessories designed for Surface, Apple devices at CES

Kensington, which makes a variety of tech accessories from laptop stands to docking stations, detailed several new products for Microsoft Surface, Apple devices and more at CES 2022.

For Surface, Kensington announced it collaborated with Microsoft on a series of ‘Designed for Surface‘ (DFS) products that “maximize the potential” of Surface devices. Kensington’s DFS products include a new ‘BlackBelt‘ rugged case for the Surface Pro 8 with military-grade drop protection, a Surface Laptop Riser compatible with the Laptop Go and Surface Book and several new docking stations. The BlackBelt case also comes in a variant with a built-in smart card reader.

Other DFS products include a new ‘MagPro Elite’ privacy screen for the Surface Pro 8 and a variety of Surface locks for securing devices.

On the Apple side, Kensington announced new versions of its StudioDock iPad docking station that support the iPad Pro (2021), iPad Air (2020) and other versions of Apple’s popular tablet. There’s also the new ‘StudioCaddy,’ a versatile docking solution that can hold and charge multiple Apple devices at the same time, including an iPhone, AirPods, iPad and MacBook (pictured up top). Finally, Kensington introduced versions of its MagPro Elite privacy screens that work with the new 2021 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros.

Rounding out the company’s CES 2022 announcements were a few new Thunderbolt 4 docking stations, the SD5700T and the SD5750T (DFS).

Those interested can check out all of Kensington’s products on the company’s website. The Designed for Surface items can be found here and Apple-specific products can be found here.

Images credit: Kensington

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Belkin reveals new 3-in-1 Apple Watch Series 7 fast charger

Belkin’s new 3-in-1 charger is the first third-party fast charger designed for the Apple Watch Series 7.

The BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad features MagSafe 15W charging speeds for the iPhone 12 and iPhone 13 and of course, fast charging for the Series 7. Apple says that the Series 7 can go from roughly 0-80 percent in 45 minutes with fast charging.

The charger also features a standard Qi charging pad designed for AirPods. It’s also worth noting that the Apple Watch charger portion is adjustable, allowing you to lay the smart watch flat or upright thanks to a small switch on the underside of the charger.

Belkin Apple Watch Serires 7 fast charger

Alongside the 3-in-1 charger, the accessory maker revealed a standalone fast charger for the Apple Watch Series 7 that includes a USB-C cable.

The BoostCharge Pro 3-in-1 Wireless Charging Pad with MagSafe (what a name), is available now through Belkin’s website for $179.95, while the smaller BoostCharge Pro Portable Fast Charger for Apple Watch costs $74.95 and is also available on Belkin’s website.

Image credit: Belkin