Tag: iPhone

For those of you who use Google Assistant on your iPhone, you can now have it play music from your Apple Music account.  Just like other music services, you can link your Apple Music account via a toggle switch in the Music section of the Settings for Assistant.  Once linked, you can use Assistant to play music from the service by saying, “Play Rush on Apple Music“.

The functionality of Google Assistant on iOS is somewhat limited as you cannot have it as your default Assistant.  That still is reserved for Siri and is unlikely to change (on Android, you can change the default Assistant app).  That means that the functionality of this new feature is going to require you to fire up Google Assistant and give the command.  In other words, it isn’t as smooth a user experience as Siri… but it is Google Assistant which is documented at being superior Siri in accuracy.

Today over at Amazon, you can pick up a great deal on the iClever BoostCube dual port USB wall charger.  Right now you can pick on up for $7.99.  This charger, about the same size as the single charger for Apple’s iPad, sports two USB 2.4A ports and 24W of power to easily charge two devices at once.  It also has built-in LEDs in each port so you can find it in the dark and has iClever’s SmartID technology to charge your devices efficiently and quickly.

The sale pricing on the BoostCube is good while supplies last.  This is one of Amazon’s time limited deals so once they are gone, they go back up to the normal price.

iClever recently redesigned this charger, aiming at squarely for those who travel.  The AC prongs now fold into the chassis of the charger itself, making it easy to pack and a bit more compact.  Performance wise, it is an excellent accessory whether it is for your home, office or traveling.  It can charge Android and iOS devices handily and with the SmartID technology, you don’t have to worry about over charging of your devices.

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.

When it comes to travel, there is always the need for USB wall chargers.  The question is how many you want to carry and if they are really designed for travel.  For me, when I’m on the road, I have a separate charger for my Nexus 6P, my Nexus 9 and my Fitbit Blaze.  That’s a lot of cables and a lot of chargers.  Then the team over at iClever sent me their recently redesigned dual-port USB wall charger.  I now carry one less wall charger.

The iClever BoostCube series is actually made up of several different models but the one they sent me to review, the IC-WB21W, is perfect in so many ways.  It is truly designed for travel with folding AC prongs and a compact design.  Recently the team at iClever sent me this newly redesigned charger to review and I’m quite pleased with what they have done with this simple yet important accessory.

Google has been very clear and vocal that one of the primary goals of the new Google Pixel lineup of phones is to lure iPhone users away from iOS and Apple to Android.  While the success of the Pixel and Pixel XL looks strong and the phones are certainly attractive, users moving from one ecosystem to another as they would in this case have one big challenge:  Data migration.  Keeping all your calendar events, photos and videos and contacts are critical for migrating from iOS to Android.  To that end, Google has launched an all new Switch to Android site which outlines exactly what those who want to migrate need to do to assure all their content is backed up.  The key to all of it:  Google Drive.

The step-by-step site has users first download Google Drive onto their iPhone then use the new Backup Wizard built into the app to backup their Contacts, Calendar events, and Photos & Videos.  Once the content that you want to back up is selected, they are all backed up via Google Drive to the respective Google services.  Your contacts go to Google Contacts, your calendar events to Google Calendar and your photos & videos to Google Photos.  Because of limitations in iOS, in order for the backup to work, you must have Google Drive running and in the foreground on your iPhone (iOS doesn’t allow background syncs) and depending on how much data you have, this process could take several hours.  Obviously, use Wi-Fi to do this as it will speed things up (and be cheaper!).

Today’s Deal is on another great accessory from Anker.  The PowerCore Slim 5000 is a 5000mAh battery pack that, as the name suggests, is a slim design that is actually smaller than most phones.  Right now this battery pack is down to $19 on Amazon, 62% off the regular price of $31.  The pack has one USB port to connect your Android phone or iPhone to for charging and is rated to give a full charge to a Samsung Galaxy and iPhone 7 Plus one full charge while smaller devices such as the Nexus 5X or iPhone 7 could get two charges out of it.  The pack comes with Anker’s PowerIQ

Anker PowerCore Slim 5000

technology to give a smooth, consistent charge to your devices, making it both save and efficient in the charging process.

Anker designed this pack to be held in your hand along with your phone so if you are on the go, you can still hold your phone and work as the pack doesn’t make everything feel big and bulky.  The pack is also coated in silicone so it won’t scratch up your devices and gives it a smooth feel that is easier to grip than aluminum designed packs.  There are LED indicators to let you know when your phone is charging and when you are done, it easily slips into a pocket or handbag.

Like all Anker products, the PowerCore Slim 5000 comes with an 18-month warranty against any defects and issues and, since this deal is through Amazon, you have a 30 day hassle free refund policy (which is now extended through the holidays).

Head over to Amazon to get more details and to order yours.  It is Amazon Prime eligible for members.