Move over Mophie, Apple has a $99 Smart Battery Case
When I reviewed the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus earlier this year, I lamented the fact that companies like Apple seemed more eager to build thinner phones than improve the battery life. That industry-wide trend made battery cases a near-necessity, and now Apple wants a slice of that market too. Enter the Smart Battery Case, a $99 (£79) add-on for the iPhone 6 and 6s that packs an extra 1,877mAh battery into a… curious-looking silicone frame. You can nab one for yourself starting today, but before you do that, let’s take a closer look at the company’s handiwork.Slideshow-346432
Hardware and design
The case itself is made of the same silicone as Apple’s other protective shells, and like those accessories, it’s made from a single sheet of material. Rather than connect two discrete pieces as you would with a Mophie, there’s an elastomer hinge at the top which you bend to slide the iPhone 6 or 6s into place. Strange? Maybe at first, but I found that pulling the phone out and shoving it back in quickly became second nature.
Can I be frank with you? The first time I laid eyes on this case I hated it. I was surprised, too, that a company that supposedly values clean, attractive design would produce a product with such a conspicuous lump in it. I don’t think I can put it better than my editor Dana did: According to her, the case made my iPhone look like it just finished a big lunch. Seriously, though, it’s an odd design choice and one that vaguely reminds me of the Droid Incredible’s plateaued back. It turns out that a lot of thought went into this decision: The priority was to keep the edges trimmer than the battery section to maintain an illusion of thinness. Maybe this look works for you, maybe it doesn’t; if nothing else, the case isn’t cumbersome. In fact, it’s actually pretty comfortable to hold in your hand, though the silicone will cling to your pants pockets whenever you take your phone out.
Nestled directly under that hump is a passive coupled antenna meant to help mitigate the sort of reception issues that can arise when using a denser battery case. In fairness, I’ve never noticed spottier reception as a result of using a Mophie, but apparently others have had issues. Meanwhile, there’s a Lightning port for power and data pass-through on the bottom edge, along with a hole that leads into the headphone jack. That hole is actually a little shallower versus cases like the Juice Pack Air, allowing you to plug in a pair of EarPods without trouble. Those of you with chunkier or L-shaped jacks are out of luck, and the case doesn’t come with a headphone jack extender either, though I’m told Apple will soon sell one made by Belkin. Oh, and speaking of things that don’t come in the box, you’ll need to provide your own Lightning cable and USB charger. On the flip side, the case directs the phone’s speaker output toward your face, and it sounds a lot better than the default, downward-facing configuration.
Apple’s cases are pretty spartan to start with, but the Smart Battery Case also lacks a power button. Once you plug your phone in, it’ll charge until the case is empty. That’s the same way the iPhone handles power when it’s connected to a standard power adapter — it draws juice from that source instead of depleting the internal battery — but the neurotic FOMO-type in me still wishes I had a way to shut it off and conserve power for when I needed it. By extension, it shouldn’t surprise you that I spent my first day frequently checking the battery life level. You’ll find the case’s power stats in the Notification Center, and charge levels for both the phone and case will pop up when you slide the handset into the case. There’s also a single LED on the inside of the case that’s surrounded by microfiber; it glows amber while charging. Oh, and try to use a 10W or 12W charger if you can (think: the ones come with iPads): They’ll charge the case and the phone at the same time.
Performance
Apple claims you’ll be able to get 25 hours of talk, 22 hours of HD video playback, or 18 hours of LTE web browsing when you pair your iPhone with the Smart Battery Case. Those are pretty huge gains compared to the 14-, 11- and 10-hour estimates Apple makes for the iPhone 6s, which has a very slightly smaller battery than last year’s iPhone 6. I spent my weekend testing the case with the iPhone 6s, and while performance can vary wildly depending on usage, Apple’s estimates mostly held up well.
When I was using the 6s as I normally would — sifting through threads on Reddit, watching YouTube videos and playing the odd game or two — the Smart Battery Case lost between 15 and 20 percent of its battery life in an hour. As such, I usually got about five to six hours before the case died completely and the phone switched to its internal battery. After that, the iPhone 6s ran on its own power for just under 13 hours on average, for a total of 18 or so hours of near-continuous mixed usage.
On days when I toiled mostly on my computer, the battery case stuck around for closer to eight hours, meaning I was almost completely done with my work day by the time the case had to come off. When it came time for our standard rundown test, the 6s lasted through 19 hours and 21 minutes of continuous video playback with the screen brightness fixed at 50 percent and WiFi connected. That still falls short of Apple’s own claims, but I’m not shocked; the 6s also missed Apple’s estimates when I reviewed it earlier this year.
After a day or two of this, I basically stopped worrying about the battery… until the cognitive dissonance set in. You see, the iPhone is designed to use all the available from an external power source before switching to its internal power. In this case, your phone will remain fully charged (or close to it) until the battery case dies. The lack of an on/off mechanism, though, means you can’t have the case on and save power for later when your battery starts to dip into the danger zone. In practice, it doesn’t matter — you didn’t have to worry about your phone’s battery dipping at all for hours — but I still felt powerless when faced with a dry battery and an iPhone on the verge of death. Technology sure is great at giving us new things to fret about. Then again, I’ve more or less been trained to think of battery cases like this; as things meant to help out in a pinch. I can’t lie and say I’m already used to Apple’s method, but I see why they did it. Maybe you won’t have as much trouble adjusting.
The competition
Battery cases are ubiquitous, with no shortage of options if your iPhone 6 or 6s needs help getting through the day. If you’re looking for something pocketable and cheap, Mophie’s Juice Pack Reserve for the 6 and 6s might be right for you. It’s even slimmer than the company’s Juice Pack Air (despite the name), and at $60, it’s almost half as expensive as Apple’s option. I personally find its sleek, curved chassis a more comfortable to hold, but be warned: It packs a slightly smaller 1,840mAh battery. Like most other options, though, it uses a micro-USB port to charge so you can’t transfer power and data while the iPhone’s inside it. Too rich for your blood? We (and our friends at The Wirecutter) are also fond of Anker’s Ultra Slim Extended Battery Case, thanks to its slim 0.53-inch design and relatively large 2,850mAh cell. Not too shabby for $40.
If you’re the sort who just really likes Apple’s cases, you might be better off buying a first-party silicon skin and something like a Jackery power bank for a fraction of the price. Just remember what you’re missing out on: Only Apple’s battery case gives you a power readout in your Notification Center and the ability to charge and sync with a single cable. Whether that’s worth the premium is up to you.
Wrap-up
Apple’s first battery case works, and it works well. Here’s the rub, though: There are plenty of cheaper, more capacious options, and some of those are prettier too. What the Smart Battery Case offers over its rivals is a sense of cohesiveness that stems from Apple controlling both the hardware and software experience. The convenience of a Lightning pass-through for easy data transfers and power reminders in iOS might make the case’s $99 price worth it for some of you, but everyone else could spend half that on a third-party case.
Source: iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case (US), (UK)
Apple Launches Official $99 Battery Enhancing Case for iPhone 6s
Apple today quietly launched a new iPhone 6s Smart Battery Case that will prolong the smartphone’s talk time and internet use by up to 25 and 18 hours respectively (via CNET). The case’s outside material compares similarly to the company’s previous line of silicone accessories, with an added hump sitting in the middle of the backside where the extra battery rests.
Charge your iPhone and battery case simultaneously for increased talk time up to 25 hours, Internet use up to 18 hours on LTE, and even longer audio and video playback.* With the Smart Battery Case on, the intelligent battery status is displayed on the iPhone Lock screen and in Notification Center, so you know exactly how much charge you have left.
As the first official Apple-made iPhone battery case, the new product comes in Charcoal Gray and White color options and costs $99 on Apple’s online store. A new feature will allow the case’s battery life status to be displayed for users on both the lock screen and in Notification Center, so it’s easy to determine how much life the accessory has left. The company also promised that the Smart Battery Case supports all Lightning products, including the iPhone’s bundled-in Lightning cable and the official iPhone Lightning Dock.
The company’s storefront doesn’t specifically disclose the mAH capacity of the Smart Battery Case, aside from the estimated hours given to tasks like talking on the phone and browsing the internet. There’s also no version for the iPhone 6s Plus currently announced, but users of last year’s 4.7-inch iPhone 6 model may be able to use the new case due to its design similarities to the iPhone 6s.
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Review: MiPow’s Power Tube 3000 Battery Pack is Compact and Cute, but App Needs Improvement
There are hundreds of external battery packs available for the iPhone, but only a small subset of those are given the Apple seal of approval and offered in Apple retail stores and the Apple online store. MiPow’s 3,000 mAh Smart Power Tube is one of the newest portable batteries Apple offers, with a lot of perks like built-in charging cables and an accompanying app.
Design and Features
MiPow’s Smart Power Tube is, as the name suggests, tube shaped. While it’s small enough to fit comfortably in a bag or a purse at just over four inches long and an inch thick, it’s an odd shape for a pocket and it isn’t as convenient to use while charging an iPhone like the flatter Mophie-style battery packs. It comes with a little matching carrying pouch so it can be dropped in a bag without worrying about scratches and scuffs.
The Smart Power Tube is available in black, white, gray, and a handful of bright candy colors: turquoise, green, and pink. A smooth, soft-touch material covers the outside of the Smart Power Tube and a metal band separates the body from the cap of the device. On the metal band there are three LEDs that display the power level and a button that activates the Tube when it’s plugged into an iPhone.
Underneath the cap, there’s a USB connector for charging the internal battery and a cleverly placed Lightning cable that connects the Power Tube to an iPhone and also holds the cap of the device in place. On the whole, the Smart Power Tube feels like a premium product with coordinated colors, clean lines, and quality materials.
Japan Display Planning Mass Production of OLED Displays for iPhones in Early 2018
Apple supplier Japan Display plans to begin mass production of OLED displays for future iPhones in spring 2018, according to Japanese website Nikkan Kogyo Shimbun [Google Translate] (via GforGames).
Japan Display executives are reportedly in negotiations with Apple about securing OLED orders for future iPhones, in an effort to compete with existing OLED panel suppliers Samsung Electronics and LG Display.
Japan Display, a joint venture formed in 2012 by Hitachi, Sony and Toshiba, is one of two major LCD display suppliers for current iPhones alongside rival Japanese company Sharp. Apple has used LCD panels for iPhones since the original model launched in 2007.
KGI Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo reported last month that iPhones are unlikely to have OLED displays for at least the next three years, and Japanese website Nikkei confirmed that Apple plans to switch to OLED displays for iPhones starting in 2018. Apple may continue to offer some iPhone models with LCD displays to fulfill demand.
OLED displays can provide sharper images, better color accuracy and brighter colors compared to LCD displays, but the technology generally has a shorter lifespan and higher manufacturing costs. Samsung’s popular Galaxy-branded smartphones are equipped with AMOLED displays, as is the Apple Watch.
Should these supply chain rumors prove true, the so-called “iPhone 8” could be released in late 2018 as Apple’s first smartphone equipped with an OLED display, based on the company’s current naming and release cycle.
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dbrand’s skins make my Nexus 5X look awesome and unique
I’m not one who normally uses cases or skins on my phones, but I recently came across MKBHD’s(Marques Brownlee) line of skins from dbrand on Twitter, and thought his stuff looked pretty sweet. It’s been awhile since I have even looked into skins for smartphones – if I was ever looking to cover my phone I would typically choose a case over a skin. I HATE putting on skins. But since dbrand’s skins looked so cool, I really had to try a set out for myself for my Nexus 5x.
Design
With dbrand’s custom ordering website, you can literally make hundreds of different combinations of custom skins for your devices. dbrand offers complete coverage by offering back, front, frame and camera skin coverage. At dbrand, they only use authentic 3M vinyl on LG Nexus 5X skins and will guarantee no adhesive residue will ever be left on your device if you ever decide to remove it.
“What does that mean for you? It means that whenever you decide to take off your Nexus 5X wrap, there won’t be any adhesive residue left on your device. Guaranteed. We’re committed to providing our customers with uncompromising quality. You can relax, we only use the highest grade materials on the planet.” – dbrand customer service.
I even saw a customer on reddit who had a rare experience with a skin pulling off some of the paint on his Nexus 5, but the user was beyond satisfied with dbrand’s best in class customer service. They sent him a new Nexus 5 cover in addition to 15 sets of skins of his choosing. That’s pretty awesome.
From carbon fiber, to leather, metal, colors and wood(our own Henry Wigyul love’s wood) dbrand has just about every person’s taste covered with their multitude of options.
Installation
This is one area I dread with skins. I used to try putting skins on my devices a couple of years ago, in addition to screen protectors, but I am really impatient with detailed work like this. It’s the main reason why I stopped looking into skins altogether. Skins and screen protectors usually end up as one massive fail.
Since dbrand sent me the latest skins, I figured it was worth a try since the new skins look really awesome.
I went to dbrand’s website and looked up how to install the skin and luckily they had the best instructional video you could ask for. It literally walks you through installation step-by-step, and within ten minutes you will have your entire skin installed. I’ve got the images to prove just how easy the dbrand skin was to apply to my Nexus 5X.
1. Wipe down the device with the included cloth
2. Align the flash, laser sensor and fingerprint reader.
3. Flip the device around and align the 3.5mm headphone jack. Remove the backing and use a hair dryer to heat the adhesive and make it stick to the device.
4. Remove each individual letter and use the backing to align each insert.
5. I found tweezers to be much easier.
6. Once everything is in place, I used a heat gun(I do not own a hair dryer) to warm the skin and smoothed it out.
Completed installation in less than ten minutes.
Summary
As you can see in the pictures, dbrand’s skins look awesome. The skins turned my drab Nexus 5X, in Frost White, into a slick carbon fiber device with a properly Google colored X in the center of the Nexus logo. I happened to put my own touch on the layout by using the silver S instead of the white one, to show you really can do whatever you want with customization.
dbrand did not provide me with the side skin pieces, nor the front skin. It doesn’t really matter as I think the back carbon fiber skin looks fantastic. The skin kit for the back, Nexus logo, limited edition colored X, and camera costs less than $15 which is an incredible value considering the kit dramatically improves the look of your device. I highly recommend dbrand’s skins as they offer complete customization, super easy installation, high-quality materials, and excellent durability. They’ll keep your phone protected against scratches while giving you a whole new look.
dbrand makes skins for a wide variety of devices. If you want to learn more head on over to their website by clicking here.
dbrand.com
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Apple Campus 2 Underground Auditorium Shown Off in New Aerial Video
Apple’s second “spaceship” campus is scheduled to be completed in late 2016, giving the company just 12 months to wrap up construction to stay on schedule. Apple’s construction crews have been hard at work over the past few months, making a lot of headway on the main ring-shaped building, the underground auditorium, and the parking structures.
Drone pilot Duncan Sinfield today shared another monthly campus update video with MacRumors, giving a close-up look at how construction has progressed since November.
Four levels of the main ring-shaped building have been completed, bringing Steve Jobs’ original vision of the campus to life. With the walls in place, the special curved glass windows that will encircle the building will likely be going up soon.
This month’s video also gives a clear look at the underground auditorium Apple is building, where it will host events to show off new products. Also depicted is the Tantau development, a set of additional buildings that will serve as research and development facilities.
When it’s finished, the second Apple campus will feature the 2.8 million square foot ring-shaped main building, several parking structures, a 100,000 square foot fitness center, a 120,000 square foot auditorium, and a dedicated visitor’s center with an observation deck, cafe, and Apple Store.
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Rumor: Apple has an updated 4-inch iPhone due early next year
Want a handset with Apple’s fancy new A9 processor, a colorful metal case and a slightly smaller display? GHI Securities’ Ming-Chi Kuo says you’re going to get one. According to the analyst’s latest research, Apple is on track to launch a 4-inch Apple 5 successor in early 2016 — painting the picture of a device with the same A9 processor as the iPhone 6s, NFC support for Apple Pay, a metal case with multiple color options and a $400-500 off-contract price tag aimed at the budget market.
Source: MacRumors
Apple Shares New ‘On the Set’ Hey Siri Commercial Starring Jon Favreau
Apple today shared another short iPhone 6s video, this time starring actor and director Jon Favreau. In the “On the Set” video, Favreau is directing a gymnastic sequence and uses the hands-free always-on “Hey Siri” feature to ask Siri to bring up pictures of flying squirrels.
The iPhone 6s is here, and the only thing that’s changed with Siri is everything. Because now you just say “Hey Siri” and Siri’s there, hands-free. Which can come in handy.
Today’s ad starring Jon Favreau is the latest in a series of iPhone 6s ads that have featured celebrities and sports figures like Jamie Foxx, Stephen Curry, and Bill Hader using the various features of Apple’s latest flagship device.
The video also comes one day after Apple shared two other iPhone 6s ads, focusing on the Hey Siri feature and the iPhone’s powerful A9 processor. All of the ads are part of a campaign that uses the tagline “The only thing that’s changed is everything.”
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T-Mobile offers AT&T customers 128GB iPhones for $200 less
After tempting Sprint customers to jump ship, T-Mobile is looking to do the same with the AT&T faithful. To do just that, John Legere & Co. are offering AT&T customers who make the switch a 128GB iPhone for the cost of the 16GB model. For those who don’t want to do the math, that’s a $200 discount. The price cut comes in the form of a bill credit and the offer is available starting tomorrow until December 13th.
Source: Business Wire
Nuance Launches ‘Dragon Anywhere’ for iOS With Continuous, Cloud-Based Dictation
Nuance Communications today announced the launch of its voice dictation and productivity app, Dragon Anywhere, for iOS devices. Although the app includes a bevy of document management and enterprise-focused features, its main selling point is its continuous, cloud-based dictation that lets users create and edit documents without a time or length limit set in place.
“Expanding Dragon Anywhere to iOS further empowers the mobile workforce to more easily complete time-consuming documentation and achieve greater levels of productivity away from the office,” said Peter Mahoney, senior vice president and general manager of Dragon.
The company positions Dragon Anywhere as an ideal alternative for professionals often working outside of an office, since the software allows them full editing, formatting, and distribution tools right from their phone. Although it should be noted that even when out in the field, an internet or cellular connection is required at all times for the dictation software to function.
The app extends its voice dictation beyond document creation, as well, letting users navigate the UI or even share documents to Dropbox and Evernote using only their voice. The video below shows off Nuance’s voice dictation software in greater detail.
Dragon Anywhere also includes a customization suite for its dictation awareness, letting businesses enter personal and customized phrases to be sure the software picks up on everything said by the user. All saved settings will also sync between iOS and the company’s supported Mac and PC apps, as well.
Nuance offers Dragon Anywhere as a three-tiered subscription-based service, with 1 month ($15), 3 months ($40), and 12 months ($150) available as options to those interested, along with a one week free trial to test out its features beforehand.
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