Category: iPhone

The 4″ iPhone SE, based on the chassis of the iPhone 4 and 5 series, looks to be getting a significant update as soon as early as next month.  The news is exciting for those who love the compact iPhone SE as it hasn’t been updated since 2016.  While there is as much rumor as anything around the 2nd generation SE, it does look like a few things seem to be pretty solid.

First, spec-wise, it looks like the new SE is going to be powered by the Apple A10 SoC.  That is the generation found in the iPhone 7 series and a significant bump up in speed, performance and power consumption over the current SE’s A9 SoC.  It also looks like that the 3.5mm headphone jack is going to go the way of the Dodo.  Instead, it will have the same headphones that were introduced with the iPhone 7 series which connect via the lightening connector.

Today’s Deal at Amazon is on the AUKEY 5-port USB Desktop Charger.  This five port USB charger isn’t much larger than a credit card and one of the ports is fully Quick Charge 3.0 compatible.   If you have a device that has this technology, you will benefit from a rapid charge, something most desktop chargers don’t built into them.  Today on Amazon, you can pick one up for $24.99 and it is completely compatible with Android phones as well as your iPhone.

Full disclosure:  This is the desktop USB charger that I use at home.

With this charger from AUKEY, you can charge up to five devices at one.  Each of the USB ports outputs 5v of power and can charge devices at 2.4A, making it compatible with really any smartphone out there.  Four of the ports have the company’s adaptive charging technology to make sure that devices charge at an optimal rate but also protects against surges and overcharges.  The fifth port, noted with an orange insert, is the Quick Charge 3.0 port.

Today’s Deal is on a great accessory for those who don’t like having your phone laying on your desk or nightstand.  The Lamicall S1 Phone Stand is made of aluminum, has cushioning to protect your phone and comes in four different colors for $9.99 today on Amazon.  The stand is designed to hold any Android device or iPhone as the padded cradle is 15mm in depth.  This means it will fit a Google Pixel, Samsung Galaxy S6, S7 or S8 and an iPhone.  In fact, most of these devices will fit on the cradle in their cases.

The Lamicall stand is designed to give you a great viewing angle for your video calls or for watching streaming content.  It is also compact.  It stands only 3.35″ tall and has a base of 2.95″ x 3.94″ so it won’t take up a lot of space on your desk.  The bottom of the stand has four anti-skid pads on it to keep it from moving around and from scratching up your desk.

Wells Fargo, the third largest bank here in the United States, is rolling out the ability to use your Android phone or iPhone to withdraw funds from any of their 13,000 ATMs nationally.  The new feature will be in place starting Monday, March 27th.  It is yet another step towards technology in the banking sector, a sector notoriously slow at adopting new technologies.  That is particularly true here in the US where Chip-and-PIN terminals are just now making their way into retailers.

How the new system will work is straightforward.  In the Wells Fargo app, you will be able to request an 8-digit code which you then enter into the ATM.  You will then have to enter your personal PIN for your account and once it is verified, your funds will be provided.  This means that you can withdraw cash from your account even if you forgot your bank card.

Over the course of the last 3 weeks or so, really since the Apple earnings call, my Twitter and Google+ feed have been full of posts and articles on how the death of the iPhone, and by extension Apple, is near.  They point to the ever increasing growth of Android across the globe, the poor showing of Apple in their last quarter, the lackluster iPhone SE (which I reviewed for Gear Diary) and the rumors of what may well be a lackluster iPhone 7.  In a word, bollocks.

I’m an Android user.  I love Android.  I left iOS a couple of years ago for a reason.  I didn’t like the ecosystem, I found iOS buggy and limiting and ultimately, after a breach of their 2-factor authentication that left my devices locked forever, I had enough.  I have found a breath of fresh air in Android.  I enjoy the flexibility it offers both as a platform and in devices and while it is far from perfect, it gives me the things that I wanted.  But just because I’m an Android user doesn’t mean that I hate anything and everything iOS.  I have always advocated that users find the tool that works best for them.  If that is Android, great.  If that is an iPhone, great.  As long as it meets your needs, that’s ultimately the goal.  It is not a zero-sum game.