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Read Now: Best Apple AirTag Accessories – CNET – 101 Latest News
#Apple #AirTag #Accessories #CNET
AirTag accessories are must-haves for anyone utilizing the nifty tracking devices released by Apple in April of last year. A Tile competitor, Apple’s AirTag allows you to track down objects like wallets, bags and keys using Apple’s Find My app. It’s a great device if you often misplace things. A single AirTag costs $29 (£29, AU$45), while you can get a four-pack for $99 (£99, AU$149). Unfortunately, AirTag discs do not come with any sort of holder, which means, depending on how you intend to use it, you’ll need an accessory for what is also, essentially, an accessory. (Apple products tend to spur their own cottage industries for add-ons, even if they are accessories to begin with — AirPods are a good example.) But there are a ton of AirTag accessories available in different styles for any budget.
In some cases you’ll be able to embed an AirTag into an object sans holder — just pop it in a purse or backpack, for instance — but some people like to keep an AirTag with their keys or attach it to a backpack or laptop bag. You may also want to stick your AirTag onto an object and plenty of AirTag mounts are available.
Note that CNET editors have tried most but not all of these accessories. If we haven’t tried a product, we’ve tested other accessories from those companies so we feel comfortable recommending them. We’ll be adding more AirTags accessories to the list as we test new products.
Read more: Apple AirTags Hands-On Evaluation
Key chains and straps
Belkin
Belkin’s Secure Holder for AirTags comes in key-ring or strap versions in four color options. There’s nothing terribly fancy about them, but at $13, they both cost less than Apple-branded options shown below. You can also get a two-pack for $20.
David Carnoy/CNET
While it launched a little later than some AirTags accessories, Otterbox’s keychain holder, which Otterbox calls a “Rugged Case,” is made of solid plastic and does indeed encase your AirTag (you unscrew the top piece, place your AirTag in the case, then screw the top piece back on to lock the AirTag in the holder). It’s available in black or white for $20 but is currently on sale for $15.
Amazon
While this faux leather key chain from Cyrill, a sub-brand of Korea-based Spigen, is nothing fancy, it’s currently available in stone and black color options.
Patrick Holland/CNET
The Apple-branded leather key ring costs $35 and comes in three colors: black, saddle brown and red.
Amazon
If you’re looking for a value option, your best bet may be to roll the dice on a no-name brand on Amazon. This Eusty key chain cover is available in a 4-pack for just less than $15. Often, generic models like this are labeled as “leather” when in fact they are faux leather (sometimes referred to as PU leather or vegan leather). These look a lot like other basic faux leather AirTag key chains and comes in a few color options.
There are dozens if not hundreds of generic AirTag holders available. Most should be fine but don’t expect them to wear as well over time as the true leather models.
David Carnoy/CNET
Caseology’s AirTag Vault is another straightforward key chain option that’s affordable at $15 but could shave a few dollars off its price over time. (Caseology is also a sub-brand of Spigen.) It’s one of the few AirTag accessories that was available at launch and has been pretty popular as a result. It comes with a carabiner but you could attach a standard key chain if you wanted. It should be back in stock fairly soon.
Amazon
Spigen is also selling an attractively simple key-chain AirTag holder, the Valentinus, for around $18. It’s made of faux leather. Alas, it’s temporarily out of stock but should be back in the next few weeks.
Amazon
If you’re looking for a holder that sticks onto an object (like the underside of a bike seat or scooter), Pelican’s Stick-on AirTag Mount is designed to do just that. A single mount costs $20 while a pack of four sells for $40. It’s available in four different colors.
Apple
Apple’s Loop, made for attaching your AirTag to a bag, costs as much as an AirTag. But it’s Apple’s official loop option and this polyurethane option is cheaper than the leather $39 Leather Loop. (That doesn’t make it a good deal, but I’m just pointing it out.) It’s available in four different colors.
Nomad
I like the design of Nomad’s leather AirTag key chain better than Apple’s, which leaves the AirTag partially exposed. This AirTag key chain hides it and looks more like a standard key chain. It’s designed to “weather” over time, getting darker (particularly the brown version). It’s available in brown or black for $30, which is pricey but it is nice.
Nomad also makes a Leather Loop that’s also a key chain and lists for $20. I prefer the more expensive model pictured here.
Spigen
Spigen, known for its value iPhone cases, has its AirTag Case Rugged Armor ($25). It’s not quite as cheap as we hoped it would be, but maybe it will come down in price in time. It does have a rugged design with a nice carabiner and carbon-fiber elements.
David Carnoy/CNET
Casetify has a wide variety of AirTag holders. They’re made of hard plastic and are fairly basic but have some eye-catching art on the backside. You can also customize them with your name or choose from several emojis and other graphics. They’re expensive at $38 but sometimes go on sale.
Nomad
If you’re looking to AirTag your pet, Nomad’s upcoming Rugged Pet ID Tag fits the bill (Nomad’s AirTag Keychain is essentially identical). According to Nomad, it’s constructed with a TPU-overmolded polycarbonate shell and comes with two enclosure options: an IP67 waterproof back and a speaker-hole back. For an extra $20, you can buy a customizable stainless steel insert cover that you can get engraved with your pet’s name and a way to contact you. No pet collar is included.
It’s worth bearing in mind that Apple says AirTags are not designed to track pets. Your pet would need to be within range of the Find My network for the AirTag to work, so if it runs off into the woods it won’t be much help.
Nomad/Screenshot by John Falcone/CNET
Want to keep track of your glasses? (Yes, I often misplace mine.) Nomad’s Glasses Strap for the AirTag is the way to do it. Ingenious, although not cheap at $35.
Other AirTag options
Moment
Moment, which makes and sells photo and video accessories for Apple products, including lens attachments, will have an enclosure accessory that allows you to mount your AirTag. “Made from a rugged aramid fiber shell and backed with a super strong adhesive, you can stick an AirTag to any flat surface,” Moment says.
Moment also has to other mounts: The Curved Surface Mount for AirTags ($25) that’s made out of flexible silicone (rubber) and can adhere to surfaces that aren’t totally flat; and the Stretch Fabric Mount for AirTags ($25) that’s designed to stick to fabrics, such as the inside of a bag, and other flat surfaces.
Amazon
If you don’t want to spend $15-$20 for a mount, these Gorilla Mounting Tape Squares are a cheaper option at $6 and can be cut to size for AirTags. AirTags have an IPX67 water-resistance rating, which means it can be fully submerged in up to 1 meter of water for 30 minutes and is dust-proof. So it can withstand some punishment without a cover. After all, it doesn’t have a screen.
Amazon
The AirTag uses a CR2032 coin battery, which should last about a year. You can find a 10-pack of those batteries on Amazon for less than $10. That’s the way to go, especially if you have multiple AirTags, and other devices that use CR2032 coin batteries.
Always remember to keep coin batteries away from small children so they don’t accidently swallow one. They can cause major injury if ingested.
Watch this:
Apple AirTags made a good small impression
6:55
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#iPhone #Camera #Accessories #CNET
Not too long ago, photographers used to laugh at smartphones. A lot has changed over the years, however, with many phone launches focusing on the cameras themselves. Now smartphones can take impressive photos on par with even the best cameras. All you need is some additional gear, and you can be shooting photos that border on professional-grade.
The iPhone 14 and 14 Pro offer excellent features that creative professionals will enjoy, like multiple rear cameras — including a superwide-angle lens — that can capture incredible photos and videos.
Perhaps the most notable, however, is the addition of ProRes, which started in the previous generation and is available on the iPhone 14 Pro and Pro Max. It enables you to produce a far more professional-looking postproduction look. This means that, now, creative professionals can incorporate these phones into their productions.
And sure, you can simply walk outside with your phone and snag some beautiful footage, but there’s a wealth of iPhone 14 accessories you can use that’ll help elevate both your videos and photos to new levels to wow your followers.
Here’s our list of the best gear to pair with your iPhone to give your shots a boost. Every iPhone 14 accessory listed here has been tested by us to make sure it works as well as it’s supposed to. If it didn’t impress, it didn’t make the list. Look no further if you’re after the best iPhone filming accessories to take your skills to the next level. These excellent accessories will make shooting a breeze.
Read more: Best iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Pro Cases You Can Buy Right Now
The best iPhone camera accessories
There’s no one accessory that by itself will revolutionize your iPhone photography, as different products bring different things to the table. I love the Moment Anamorphic lens as it lets you achieve a stunning cinematic look with your phone. DJI’s phone gimbal meanwhile provides superb stability to get super smooth-looking shots, while the Aputure MC LED video light simply lets you light up the scene you’re shooting when the sun goes down.
But an LED light will do nothing to improve your audio, so you’ll need to look towards the Rode VideoMicro if sound quality is important. These items all add something different to your photo and video production and used together let you take your mobile video production to a whole new level. Want some inspiration? Here’s my guide for shooting better video with your phone.
Camera cages are common tools that let you attach a wide variety of accessories to a DSLR, including lights, microphones, handles and external monitors. SmallRig’s new mobile cage offers much the same functionality, but for your iPhone, and with multiple mounting points around the edge to attach whatever accessories you need like microphones.
I’ve been using the cage with an attached Aperture LED light, PolarPro tripod and Rode microphone (all seen below), which makes for an incredible mobile vlogging rig. SmallRig also offers various attachments of its own, including top and side handles, which help provide stability when you’re hand-holding while filming. The cage is solidly built from aluminum, has bayonet lens mounts (see below), and has a convenient clasp for easily slotting your phone in and out.
Anamorphic lenses are normally something you’d find in a professional cinematographer’s kit bag. These lenses provide a wider aspect ratio that you get in a wide angle lens, along with distinctive blue-line lens flares that give footage a much more filmic quality. Moment’s mobile anamorphic lens does exactly that for your iPhone.
Clip it on and it’ll squeeze your footage into the shorter, wide shots format that completely transforms the look of the video you can take from your phone. I’ve absolutely loved the look of my phone footage using the lens and it’s a must-have for any budding film producers wanting to up their game with their phone.
You’ll need to shoot with apps like Filmic Pro that let you “unsqueeze” the footage so it doesn’t look all distorted on most cameras. The lens uses a bayonet mount that attaches to compatible cases, including Moment’s own ones or a variety of third-party options, including the SmallRig cage mentioned above.
iPhone cameras don’t have the greatest lighting, so having a backup light is always a good idea. This USB-C rechargeable video light is packed with LED lights and is small enough to fit into the palm of your hand but puts out a huge amount of light when you’re short of proper lighting.
It’s great for lighting up your subjects, whether that’s for portraits, product photography or macro or to light up yourself if you’re vlogging at night. The power output is easily adjustable, as is the color temperature of the light.
It also has a variety of creative light effects to spice up your production, including simulations of fireworks, lightning, a flickering fireplace or the flashing red and blue of police car lights.
The iPhone 14’s built-in image stabilization is already superb, but for an even smoother ride, consider using a dedicated gimbal like DJI’s OM 5. It evens out all but the most aggressive movements, allowing you to get smooth tracking footage of you running behind your subject as you film a chase scene.
It also has a built-in extendable selfie stick, which not only makes it great for YouTube vloggers, but also allows for more creative angles by holding it up higher, or even flipping it over and having the camera run close to the ground or through grasses.
Recording good audio for your vlogs or your next iPhone-based short film is crucial, and while the iPhone does a decent job of capturing audio, a dedicated microphone will take things to the next level. Rode’s VideoMicro shotgun mic can plug into your phone’s Lightning port (via an adapter) and provides crystal-clear audio when recording with the standard iPhone camera app or any third-party video app, making it one of the best iPhone camera accessories on the market.
I love using it on top of my phone for vlogging and the included wind shield is superb for cutting out wind noise when working on location. Alternatively, get a 3.5mm extension cable and you can try using the mic on the end of a boom pole for recording audio in a conversation you’re filming.
It’s a great investment if you’re looking for a directional microphone.
At $1,349, industry goliath Profoto’s B10 studio flash will be little more than a pipe dream for most. But if you want to get truly professional lighting on location or in a studio using your iPhone, the B10 is second is one of the best iPhone camera accessories. . This pro flash is designed primarily for use with DSLRs but can also be used with iPhones and Android phones via the Profoto app. If you’re ready to take your smartphone photography to the next level, it allows you to get shots with your phone that would simply not be possible to achieve without it.
Sure, most pros probably wouldn’t consider shooting a major project on just their phone, but it’s a potentially great backup in case of camera failure, or simply a lightweight and convenient way to test ideas in the field without hauling bags of gear around.
It also comes with a carrying case that will protect it from other elements. Its rechargeable battery provides a battery life that can provide more than 400 full flashes.
Rather than use screw clamps to secure your phone in place, Moment’s tripod mount uses Apple’s MagSafe system, which makes it incredibly quick to pop your phone in place and start shooting. When you’re done, just rip your phone away from the magnetic disk and pop it back in your pocket. Easy!
The minimalist approach to the mount’s design makes it extremely compact so it’s no hassle to always carry it with you for when inspiration strikes. The magnets are strong, too, so you don’t need to worry about your phone popping loose while you’re walking along. It’s available as a mount by itself, or with the cold-shoe bracket (pictured) to attach a microphone when vlogging.
Having a solid tripod can make all the difference in getting stable, wobble-free video, particularly if you want to put yourself in the frame. PolarPro’s Apex Minimalist tripod is a great option for mobile producers, as its compact size means it’s easy to chuck into a backpack, but it’s burly enough to support bigger cameras should you need to.
I love using it for static shots, and for holding my phone up to shoot vlogs while walking around. It comes either with an integrated twist-locking ball head, or as the tripod legs only. I prefer the latter as it allows me to use my own compact ball heads, which are more stable with heavier loads.
How we test iPhones
We test phones in real-world scenarios, looking at the performance of the processor, battery and cameras, and judge how each model compares to its competition. We take value into account, as well as extra features like storage, connectivity, software additions and anything else that will make a real difference to your life with the product.
Accessories like the ones seen in this list are treated in exactly the same way; they’re put to real-world use both indoors and outside, evaluating how well they perform and whether they’re worth the money. Everything that’s featured here has been tested by our own fair hands and if it didn’t impress, it didn’t make the list.
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