9to5Mac Reviews

Satechi unveiled its first MagSafe compatible multi-device charger for iPhone 12 and AirPods back in January and now it’s available. The Aluminum 2-in-1 Magnetic Wireless Charging Stand features a floating magnetic mount for your iPhone 12 with a dedicated spot for wirelessly charging AirPods below. Coming in at one of the most affordable prices for a MagSafe compatible dual-charger at $60 from a reputable brand, we had to test out this new Satechi release.

Mophie recently launched its latest multi-device wireless charger that’s aimed at Apple users. Notably, the Charging Stand+ comes with a focus on versatility while keeping the price below what we normally see from reputable brands. We’ve been testing out the Mophie Wireless Charging Stand+ to find out the pros and cons of this iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods charger. Follow along for all the details, including a 25% off deal.

One of the key new features with the iPhone 12 lineup was MagSafe technology. When it was introduced initially, I was somewhat underwhelmed by it. As time has gone on and more accessories have been released, it’s become one of my favorite aspects of the iPhone 12 mini, though. I recently purchased the Anker PowerWave to use at my desk, and it’s quickly become one of my favorite iPhone accessories in recent years. If you want to use your iPhone 12 as a webcam, read on to see how the PowerWave will help with that.

If Apple made a leather backpack for MacBook Pro models, I’m pretty sure it would look and feel a lot like the Harber London Slim Laptop Backpack.

Regular readers will know I’m a sucker for premium leather bags, and I’m an equal opportunity guy when it comes to different leather styles and finishes. But if you look at things like Apple’s leather sleeve for the MacBook Pro, it’s clear that the company favors extremely smooth and soft leather, at a price that reflects the quality – and that’s exactly what we get with this backpack …

There’s been one rather glaring omission in our smart home setup: a doorbell cam. That’s because I was waiting for three boxes to be ticked, and the Netatmo Smart Video Doorbell ticks all of them.

First, HomeKit compatibility. For me, that’s pretty much non-negotiable when it comes to any smart home kit. The benefits of having everything controlled through one app, or by Siri, is compelling enough that I’d rather wait than have something which requires me to use a separate app …

The HomeKit doorbell scene has finally grown wings and one of the most compelling options is Logitech’s new Circle View Doorbell. It’s got a sharp and simple design, HomeKit Secure Video support, face recognition, and an impressive price point – particularly if you’re willing to handle the installation yourself. Join along for our full review of this Logitech HomeKit doorbell, the first true consumer option with HKSV.

I recently went hands-on with the Level Touch smart lock, which is Level Home Inc.’s most recent foray into the connected home space. Level, whose newest smart lock is for sale in the Apple Store, and whose design team includes former Apple employees, prides itself on providing smart technology in an elegant and inconspicuous package. In fact, unless someone specifically told you, you might not even know that the Level Touch is a smart lock. Watch our hands-on video walkthrough for the details.

I’ve tried a couple of Grovemade products before, and they tend to have three things in common: they use natural materials like wood and leather; they are beautiful; and they are expensive. The Grovemade MagSafe Stand ticks all three boxes – though the ‘expensive’ element is partly Apple’s fault this time.

I’ve said in the past that I prefer charging stands to charging pads. Whether it’s on my desk, beside the sofa or beside the bed, it makes more sense for me to have my phone upright, where I can see the screen, rather than flat on the surface, where I can’t. For that reason, Apple’s MagSafe charger didn’t interest me – until now …

A little over two months after the release of the new iPhone 12, and we still only have a handful of third-party MagSafe accessories on the market. One such accessory, Belkin’s awkwardly-named MagSafe Car Vent Mount Pro, is now available. While a magnetic car mount seems like a natural fit for the MagSafe ecosystem, is Belkin’s new accessory worth it? Watch our hands-on video for the details.

Belkin’s Boost Charge Pro with MagSafe and Apple’s MagSafe Duo chargers take very different approaches to solve a similar problem. In a world where everything has to be recharged, combination chargers that can reduce cables and plugs in our life are really practical. While Apple’s first-party combo charger is described best as a minimalistic travel charger, Belkin aces utility in what may be the best MagSafe combo charger.

Nanoleaf debuted its latest smart light panel system this year with Shapes. The first option was Shapes – Hexagons and Triangles and Mini Triangles have arrived as well. As you’d hope, all three of the Nanoleaf Shapes light panels work together to make a flexible system that lets you get really creative. And just like Nanoleaf’s other products, Shapes are HomeKit compatible with no hub needed.

Zendure likes its beefy power banks, like the 100W one I tested back in the summer, but the Zendure SuperBase 500 has got to be the ultimate one. As the name suggests, it offers a huge 500Wh of capacity (518Wh to be precise). It provides both AC and DC power and can cope with up to a massive 600 watts of simultaneous output.

Of course, that kind of capacity requires a huge battery, so this thing isn’t small or light– but it is a fair bit smaller than the competition …

One of the headline features of the two iPhone 12 Pro models is the LiDAR scanner. Night mode Portrait photos had already impressed me, and an app to create 3D scans of your home has now done so, too.

Canvas is an iPhone app that you can use to scan your rooms, and then pay a modest fee to have them turned into professional CAD models that can be used to help remodel your home. You may have spotted that it was featured in the iPhone 12 launch…

When I saw that Flic HomeKit-compatible smart buttons were available, I had to take them for a spin.

Second-generation Flic smart home buttons now have HomeKit compatibility, along with multi-color LEDs to indicate the status of the device they control.

The original Flic buttons from Shortcut Labs could control a reasonably wide range of devices — including Ikea, Nanoleaf, Lifx, Lightify, Philips Hue, Sonos, Spotify, and WeMo — but HomeKit support now makes them suitable for a much wider range of smart home products…

One of the industries I started paying attention to more in 2020 was the world of robot vacuums. After picking up a Neato D7 and Roborock S6 Max earlier this year, I’ve decided that I am finished with regular vacuum cleaners, and automated ones are the future for my family. Since August, I’ve been testing out the 360 S9 Robot acuum, so read on to see how it compares to the ones I already use.

Has the transition from Intel to Apple silicon on the Mac surpassed all expectations? Watch our hands-on video as we discuss what makes Apple’s M1 MacBooks so special in our MacBook Air and MacBook Pro review.

In my recent Top Features video walkthrough showcasing the iPhone 12, I didn’t yet have the iPhone 12 mini in hand, so I was only able to provide commentary on Apple’s large 6.1-inch baseline smartphone. Now that the iPhone 12 mini has arrived, I’ve been able to examine both smartphones in light of Apple’s entire flagship lineup. Watch our hands-on iPhone 12 & 12 mini review video for the details.

Today Apple sells three Apple Watch models — the three-year-old Apple Watch Series 3 starting at $199, and the just-released Apple Watch SE and Apple Watch Series 6 models, which start at $279 and $399 respectively.

With these options in mind, which Apple Watch should you buy? Should you go all out and spring for the Apple Watch Series 6, or should you take the more cost-conscious route with the Series 3 or SE? Watch our hands-on video walkthrough as we explore Apple’s wearable lineup as it stands today.

August has been a household name in the smart lock industry for many years, serving as one of the most popular options for people who want the benefits of a smart lock without replacing their existing lock.

Over the summer, August unveiled its new Wi-Fi Smart Lock that is significantly smaller than its previous smart lock products and features integrated WiFi connectivity. There’s also HomeKit support, which is a must-have for any smart home accessory I use nowadays. Read on for more.