Would You Wear Your Earbuds as a Bracelet?

The big problem with headphones and earbuds is what do you do with them when you’re not using them. You could wind up the cable and shove them in your pocket, but the folks at Wraps Wearables have a better idea. The Wraps Wristband Headphones (£14.99-£24.99) are designed to be coiled up and worn like a bracelet. The seller is located in the UK, but ships to the U.S.

They look good on men and women and are available in a nice selection of colors and materials, including leather and wood. There are also versions with a microphone built-in.

Pros

• Nice selection of materials and colors
• Clever concept
• Available with microphone

Cons

• Earbuds may not fit all users
• Must ship from UK

Final Verdict

The Wraps Wristband Headphones from Wraps Wearables is a clever concept; however, the one-size-fits-all approach of the earbuds may not fit all users.

Wallpapers of the week: city perspectives

Each week, we provide a fresh set of iOS device wallpapers. Subjects range from graphic creations, to mixed media and natural photography. Trying to keep the genres random, check back weekly for updates in the Wallpapers of the Week section! This week, we turn toward the city, as recently previous wallpapers were more nature-focused.

Cityscape wallpapers

Download “Purple District”  iPad (Pro compatible); iPhone; desktop

Download “Piazza San Marco – Acqua Alta” iPad (Pro compatible); iPhone; desktop

“New Perspective on Old Clock Tower” by iPad (Pro compatible); iPhone; desktop

Download “Brooklyn Bridge Renovation” iPad (Pro compatible); iPhone; desktop

File Cabinet Pro Offers Powerful File Management Features Directly from the OS X Menu Bar

Users needing easy to use, yet powerful file and cloud management features might want to take a look at Writes for All Inc.’s File Cabinet Pro, its powerful file manager for the OS X menubar. The app allows users to open, move, rename, tag, trash, copy and paste files, all from a popover window that appears from the menubar. File Cabinet Pro also allows users to copy files to their iCloud Drive without needing to open a window in Finder.

In addition to file management capabilities, the app also offers a built-in text editor, image viewer, PDF viewer, and media player. Document types supported include: txt, rtf, rtfd, png, bmp, mov, mp4 and many more.

Features:

• Create subdirectories in File Cabinet Pro
• Click into subdirectories and open documents
• Store files locally and in iCloud
• Drag and drop files to and from iCloud
• Tag files – Select files in File Cabinet Pro, right click, and then simply add or remove file tags from the control in the context menu
• Show in Finder
• Rename files
• Copy and paste files
• Trash files
• View items as icons or in columns
• Launch the application at login – You can have File Cabinet Pro automatically launch when you login to your Mac (optional feature, disabled by default)
• Built in lightweight text editor – Create and edit .txt, .rtf, and .rtfd files
• Built in lightweight image viewer/editor. Rotate images, crop images, and apply filters to images
• Built in media player – Watch video and play audio files
• PDF viewer
• Editable files support document versions

File Cabinet Pro for Mac OS X is $29.99, and is available from the App Tyrant website. [GET IT HERE]

Moschino’s cigarette iPhone case: silly but totally on brand

So, smoking is back in fashion – and, for once, it’s not Kate Moss’s fault. By all means, CC her into your complaint email – the model marked her comeback to modelling in 2011 by smoking on the Louis Vuitton A/W11 catwalk – but this time it’s Moschino’s fault. The Italian label’s latest collection (which was shown last week and is one of the few new ready-to-buy collections) is themed around smoking and features, among other fag-like things, an iPhone case shaped like a cigarette packet emblazoned with the slogan “Fashion kills”.

First, a little background on Moschino. Since taking over as creative director in 2013, Jeremy Scott has famously woven low-brow references into his collections – past themes have included Barbie and McDonald’s. It’s a move that subverts our idea of fashion as an elite medium while exploring the relationship between art and commerciality; a witty recognition of the power of branding, from the Marlboro man to the Camel Lights camel.

Thematically speaking, this suggests Moschino is staying on brand. After all, the case is silly, but, at £47, fashionably expensive and couched in controversy. It also comes at an interesting time for the cigarette industry. From May, cigarette packets will no longer be branded and will come in a standardised box because, well, as Moschino’s in-joke explains, smoking kills.

In a neat twist, it’s also very similar to the fake Chanel cigarette packet iPhone cases available at all good urban street-markets (naysayers take note: fashion is generally in on the gag), which are among the most popular fakes cases around – a straw poll found three in the Guardian office. History, film and fashion have long dictated that the coolest people smoke, but, in lieu of actually smoking, it’s probably best to get one of these cases.

Photos of ‘iPhone SE’ Screen Display Confirm No 3D Touch

The first purported component leak for the so called iPhone SE has emerged via Nowhereelse.fr. The images claim to depict a screen assembly of the upcoming 4-inch iPhone.

Part leaks have been notably absent for the iPhone SE, despite rumors that the new device will launch in the middle of March — only three weeks away.

The new images seems to confirm that 3D Touch components are absent from the 4-inch device. This is consistent with rumors to date that suggest the 4-inch iPhone will incorporate Live Photo support, but not 3D Touch, which is considered a flagship feature for the iPhone 6s line.

The leaked images are said to be captured by a source that on “several occasions in the past proved to be reliable”.

The iPhone SE is expected to be announced during a March 15th media event.

5 Amazing Products from Kickstarter and Indiegogo

It’s time to take a look at what’s happening on Kickstarter and Indiegogo again. Regardless of whether you have money to support awesome projects coming out or not, it’s a neat way to see what’s manifesting on the leading edge of tech. Everyone has amazing ideas and the people on these sites are asking for support to bring those ideas into reality. I constantly see ideas for products I would have never thought of; here’s  projects that I’m amazed by you can support right now.

BearTek Gen II: Wireless Smart Gloves

We’re definitely seeing the huge trend in wearable tech making awesome strides this year. BearTek are smart gloves connected via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth that allow you to control your device by tapping different fingers together. Previously featured on Shark Tank, the gloves were originally implemented for winter sports but are beginning to have much further reaches from bicyclists to rescue personal.

AirVisual Node: The World’s Smartest Air Monitor

The AirVisual allows you to monitor the air quality indoors and out. Not only is air pollution doing major damage to our planet but to our bodies as well. The AirVisual allows you to plan ahead when venturing outdoors and figure out what’s causing poor air quality indoors. Plus, you’re helping to create a larger picture of air quality across our planet as your data is added to the network.

WonderCube

The WonderCube is the Swiss Army Knife of smartphones. It fits easily on a keychain and functions as a charging cable, phone stand, extra memory pack, emergency battery pack, LED mini torch, and more. There are eight functions total that all fit into a tiny cube.

Apple iPhone 7 concept: Crazy flexible widescreen display and curved edges shown off in video

Crazy concept videos for Apple’s iPhone have been around for as long as the iPhone has existed, but this one might take the cake for being the most outrageously barmy.

This impossibly bizarre concept design for the iPhone 7 would bring advances in curved and flexible displays to a logical (or should that be illogical?) conclusion: a screen that could stretch out to the size of tablet with the click of a button. Marvel at the impossibly impractical creation below:

The amazing video starts off reasonably sanely with a quick peek at what an iPhone might look like if it borrowed the curved edges from its competitor the Samsung S6 Edge, or the recently announced Galaxy S7 Edge. At this point, the concept is actually fairly believable and the mooted prospect of the iPhone’s signature silencer and volume keys appearing as touchscreen icons along a curved edge would be an interesting reimagining of the established button set-up we have got used to since Apple entered the mobile phone market in 2007.

Things get a bit surreal immediately afterwards, though, as the screen unravels outwards, leaving the otherwise familiar iPhone design in its widescreen wake.

This part-iPhone, part-iPad Frankenstein-esque creative vision from Sonitdac, which could be confused with a design for a portable cinema screen as opposed to a phone, would apparently be made possible by a quartet of internal carbon fibre arms that would manipulate and expand the flexible display. Although thinking about the practicality of anything in the video past the first 10 seconds is probably not advisable.

In fairness, this is almost certainly not be what the iPhone 7 will look like, but who knows what the future holds for Apple’s overwhelming popular iOS device, especially considering that the Cupertino-based company had a patent accepted for “Flexible Electronic Devices” in January 2015. It was not so long ago that the idea of an iPhone phablet was unthinkable, so maybe the future is wide and stretchy for the iPhone 8 or 9?

 

iPhone encryption, privacy tips and tricks

Apple is reportedly working on making the iPhone completely unhackable but in the meantime you can take some steps to make your iPhone less vulnerable to hacking with just two simple steps. Increasing the length of your passcode to 12 digits will make it virtually impossible to unlock your device with brute force techniques, as it would take hackers an estimated 1,268 years to crack an iPhone that’s protected with that long of a code.

Of course, having to enter in a 12-digit passcode when you first boot up your iPhone is incredibly annoying. This is likely why most users are happy to stick with the standard six-digit passcode that takes an estimated 11 hours to crack via brute force.

For an added security measure, 9to5Mac also recommends disabling your phone’s iCloud backup and instead using encrypted backups in iTunes to protect your data. You should also make sure to delete your existing iCloud backup to ensure that none of your old data is still accessible on the service.

Unreleased space black Modern Buckle Apple Watch band image spotted at premium reseller

9to5Mac has reported that Apple will hold a media event next month on March 15th where it will unveil the 4-inch iPhone 5se, new iPad Air 3, and new versions of Apple Watch bands. We’ve already seen one band accidentally revealed, the space black Milanese Loop that has yet to be released, and now another space black version of a current Apple Watch band has been spotted in the wild (via WatchGeneration.fr) …

Currently on display on marketing material at an Apple Premium Reseller called iConcept Toulouse Esquirol is what appears to be an unreleased space black stone leather Modern Buckle strap paired with a stainless steel space black Apple Watch.

Apple originally only sold the DLC stainless steel space black Apple Watch in 38mm and 42mm versions with the Link Bracelet for a premium over the standard stainless steel version, then introduced a less pricey version in both sizes paired with a black Sport band last fall.

The Modern Buckle style band is currently only sold in stainless steel 38mm options including soft pink, midnight blue, or standalone black or brown.

No space black Modern Buckles or versions with what appears to be stone leather like Apple’s Leather Loop has yet to be introduced.

If Apple indeed introduces space black versions of the Modern Buckle band and Apple Watch configuration, pricing will likely be between $249 and $349 per standalone band and $749 to $849 when bought with the space black Apple Watch.

As for the other space black Apple Watch band that we’ve already seen but hasn’t been officially sold yet, Apple briefly ousted that band earlier this year on its Czech website.

The difference here, however, is that we’re dealing with marketing material, not a premature store listing, which we’ve seen in the past time and again as a result of Photoshop mixups.

9to5Mac has since reported that the unreleased space black Milanese Loop and new Sport bands will be introduced next month. Unreleased NATO-style nylon bands have also been in the works and could be released at the same event.

Based on Apple’s history with leaking that it’s expanding the band lineup with more space black versions, it’s possible that the marketing image is an early look at what’s to come, or it could just be a mistake that coincidentally reveals what Apple might or might not inevitably release.

Another (less exciting) possibility is that the image shows a stainless steel and soft pink Modern Buckle Apple Watch catching the reflection of the charcoal gray Smart Cover, but based on the imagery I’m not certain about that.

Wallpapers of the week: mountains

The Wallpapers of the Week section continues with a reader submitted image. Throughout the week, we glean through different repositories, looking for just the right images to feature on Sundays. Considering reader-submitted images is part of the curation process. Wallpapers are best when they are properly formatted for the latest iOS devices and photo quality. Consequently, the most popular wallpapers are not ones someone just happened to snap on their latest beach vacation.

Mountain wallpapers

Download “Minimalist Wallpaper:” desktop (1920×1080); iPad; iPhone

The remaining wallpapers are those found via papers.co.

Download: iPad (including iPad Pro); iPhone

Download: iPad (including iPad Pro); iPhone

Download: iPad (including iPad Pro); iPhone