Wondering what to do with your old smartphone when the iPhone 8 & X comes out? While you can certainly sell your old phone immediately after Apple announces the new model, there are plenty of ways to repurpose your iPhone. In general, it’s a good idea to keep an old smartphone as a backup in case your shiny new model breaks for any reason, but you can certainly reuse it elsewhere in your life at the same time.

Here are 20 creative ways to use that old iPhone or Android smartphone that’s collecting dust in a drawer:

1. VR Headset

Utilizing stereoscopic imagery, you can use inexpensive, third party VR head mounts like Google Cardboard, View-Master Virtual Reality or any of the knockoffs sold on Amazon to create a budget VR helmet. While it certainly won’t hold a candle to advanced systems like HTC’s Vive, there’s plenty of fun apps for both iOS and Android users.

2. Dash-mounted Navigation / Camera

While built-in navigation systems have become much more prevalent in new cars, there are plenty of older cars that could use the upgrade. In addition, having a dash-mounted version is likely safer when attempting to pull your smartphone out of your pocket while driving to check Google Maps. If you want to use your phone’s camera, you also have a dashcam.

We really love the MagGrip CD Slot mount, mainly because few people are using physical CD’s anymore. It places your phone in a perfect spot on the dash, elevated above the radio and below your rearview mirror. Some add-on software / hardware you may want to consider:

• ForeverMap 2 on iOS, Scout on Android: Offers offline maps, ideal when you drive into areas without consistent cell phone coverage.
• HUDWay (iOS & Android): If driving in poor conditions, this app uses reflections to create a semi-HUD on your windshield.
• Automatic Pro (hardware): Utilizing a car’s standard diagnostics (OBD-II) port, the Automatic app can display a ton of information related to usage of your vehicle.
• GasBuddy: Helps located the least expensive gas prices in your immediate area.

3. Smart Home Controller

If you are interested in investing in a smart home hub like the Samsung’s SmartThings Hub or the Logitech Harmony Hub, you can use an old smartphone as a controller for all your smart home devices. That’s ideal for guests that want to control smart home functions, specifically because the homeowner doesn’t have to hand over their phone for control.

You also may want to consider wall-mounting your smartphone in a central location around the home. There are a number of options on Amazon. Just be sure to place it near an outlet in order to keep the device powered up.

4. Secondary Home Phone

Utilizing the Wi-Fi calling functionality that was added in iOS 8, you can link it to your new phone over Wi-Fi to transfer calls. Basically, both phones will ring relatively at the same time if on the same Wi-Fi network. This can be useful if you live in a large home and want to dock a phone at a central location for anyone to answer.

5. Universal Remote Control

With select new 4K HDTVs packaged with small tablets to control television functions, utilizing an old smartphone for the same purpose can be cost effective for anyone with an older television. Some of the more popular software options include Peel, iRule and Simple Control.

While the software is free, you will likely want to add an IR blaster to make sure commands are always entered. Pronto makes a popular model, usually between $30 to $40 when on sale. LINK

6. Bedside Alarm Clock / Sleep Tracker

Utilizing a decorative shell, you can insert your old phone into the shell and use an app to display a clock all the time. There are a number of options on Amazon. If you are having trouble sleeping during the night, you may want to use a sleep tracker app like Sleep Cycle (available for iOS and Android). Sleepbot is another good option.

7. Dedicated Skype Station

If you like to use video conferencing apps like Skype to chat with friends and family, creating a specific place in your home to video chat can be very useful. You should probably consider purchasing a smartphone dock to keep the phone charged. You can also find docks with speakers built-in, ideal for hearing the folks you are video chatting with.

8. Baby Monitor

Definitely cheaper than purchasing a dedicated Wi-Fi baby monitor, utilizing an old smartphone to keep an eye on the crib is a smart idea. Likely utilizing a powered smartphone dock (similar to the Skype station above), look at apps like Cloud Baby Monitor for iOS or Dormi for Android.

9. GamePad for Mobile Games

Adding a decent gamepad frame to your older smartphone can be accomplished for less than $10. Look at options like the Logitech Powershell (which comes with additional battery power for charging your mobile device). You can also consider stepping up to a full-sized gamepad, like this Powerlead option, for roughly $30 to $35.

10. Document Scanner / Data Storage

Ideal for turning paper documents into a digital format, there are plenty of apps that can use digital smartphone photos to scan documents. Look at apps like CamScanner or Evernote Scannable to scan all your important documents.

In general, utilizing an old iPhone or Android device as an offline data storage solution could be a great idea for private data. Similar to keeping important paper documents in a safe deposit box, having a digital backup could be very useful. Look at apps like USB + WiFi Flash Drive on iOS and File Manager on Android. For additional security, you may want to consider a Safe Inside locking smartphone case to keep that device secure.

11. Dedicated Voice Recorder

Rather than spending $75 to $100 on a popular voice recorder, just utilize your old smartphone to record your notes. Voice Record Pro is popular on iOS and Easy Voice Recorder Pro is popular on Android. You also may want to consider purchasing an additional microphone, assuming you prefer higher quality recording or have an interest in podcasting (higher quality mics).

12. Kitchen Cookbook

If you spend a ton of time in the kitchen cooking meals, having a dedicated mobile device to watch cooking YouTube videos or read recipes can be extremely useful. You can also consider photo scanning in those old recipes that your grandmother passed down to you, ideal for a digital backup. If you are looking for solid kitchen apps, here’s a great list for shopping helpers, timers and recipe organizers.

13. Upgraded Digital Camera / Camcorder

While having a mobile device in your pocket is great for capturing the right moments, you can really step up your photography game with aftermarket lenses and flash attachements. Photojojo is a great spot to pick up items like lenses, improved flashes and tripods. If you want to your your DSLR lens on your smartphone, there are plenty of clip options on Amazon.

14. Vehicle / Bike Tracker

Creating a makeshift LoJack system for your car or bicycle, just reactive your phone with a cheap pay-as-you-go account and securely attach it on your ride. Then just use apps like Find My iPhone to locate the device if you ride ever gets stolen.

15. Barometer / Weather Center

If you have a an iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus, it includes an internal barometer sensor. If you are upgrading to the 7, you can definitely use your old phone as a mini weather center. Many Android phones offer a similar sensor. For Android, check out the Barometer app and DS Barometer. On iOS devices, check out Thermo-Hygrometer and Bar-o-Meter.

16. Home Security Cameras

Rather than purchasing a $200 Nest camera for internal home security, using an old smartphone for recording areas around your home is a less expensive option. Check out a cloud recording option like ManyThing (iOS or Android) for this purpose. In addition to live streaming video as well as motion alerts, you can setup up to five smartphones as security cameras and record up to 30 days of video.

17. Portable Recording Studio

If you are a musician, the ability to record your music anywhere is extremely useful. Look at apps like GarageBand and KORG Gadget (electronica) on iOS as well as Walk Band and FL Studio Mobile on Android. Of course, you also may want to consider some studio quality microphones to get the best audio.

18. Digital Picture Frame

Ideal when paired with a powered dock, using an old iPhone as a photo frame for guests to check out or browse through images is better than handing them your personal phone (in case you have some inappropriate photos in your stream). Of course, you will need to disable dimming as well as screen lock. A fantastic iOS app for this is Picmatic. It includes options for framing photos as well as transition effects and filters.

19. E-Reader

Rather than spending money on a Kindle, you can easily turn your old smartphone into an e-reader with apps like Marvin Classic on iOS or Moon+ Reader on Android.

20. Wireless Music Hub

Great for parties, using a smartphone as a dedicated music controller is definitely handy. Of course, you will need a Wi-Fi connected receiver or standalone speaker system to take advantage. Beyond apps like Pandora or Spotify for listening to streaming music, check out Tune-In Radio for access to live radio stations.

20 Creative Ways to Reuse Your Old iPhone

As someone who lived in the South from my birth to my mid-twenties, I can tell you without a doubt that we like to fry up any food we can get our hands on. It’s a stereotype that I gladly ascribe to, mostly because fried foods are just insanely delicious. Hush-puppies, chicken fried steak, fried okra, coconut shrimp, fried pickles, chicken-fried bacon, fried Twinkies, fried jelly doughnuts, deep fried pizza…yes, please. All of the above. When the heart attack comes, I’ll die with a smile on my face and extremely greasy fingers.

That being said, it never occurred to me that it would be a good idea to deep fry my iPhone 5 or my Dell laptop. Photographer Henry Hargreaves, on the other hand, thought it would be an excellent idea for a photo shoot. My guess is that he watched this video of a Japanese kid attempting to deep fry and chomp down on his Sony PSP for a bit of inspiration. In any case, here is his series of deep-fried gadgets:

Deep Fried Game Boy

Deep Fried LACIE Rugged Hard Drive

Deep Fried Headphones

Deep Fried iPad

Deep Fried iPhone

Deep Fried iPod

Deep Fried MacBook

Deep Fried Gadgets, What’s Not to Like?

Apple held a Spring 2021 event today to roll out several new products including refreshes on the iPad Pro, iMac and Apple TV as well as Bluetooth trackers called AirTags. (And the greatest announcement of all: Season 2 trailer of Ted Lasso!)

Of course, those announcements came with hefty price tags. Here’s a few ways to save money on essentially the same tech.

Apple Announcement: Purple iPhone 12 & 12 Mini

Holding off on any new iPhone news until September 2021, Apple choose to roll out a new color of the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Mini rather than refresh the hardware in first half of 2021. The new color will be available April 30.

Cheaper Alternative: A Purple Case

If you already have an iPhone 12 or an iPhone 12 Mini, it’s just ridiculous to switch phones for a new color. Instead, just pick up a purple case. There’s a plethora of options on Amazon as low as $6, but we do like the Otterbox model with a built-in PopSocket PopGrip (if Popsockets are your thing).

Savings: At least $650

Apple Announcement: Apple TV 4K w/ new remote

The new version of the Apple TV 4K comes with the A12 Bionic chip found in the iPhone XS / XR (hardware last revised in 2017). It can now play HDR and comes with a new remote control that finally includes power / volume buttons for your TV. The price tag hasn’t changed though; $180 for the 32GB model and $200 for the 64GB.

Cheaper Alternative: Roku Ultra

Assuming you haven’t already replaced all your streaming set top boxes with smart TV apps (Goodbye switching HDMI ports!), check out the Roku Ultra for streaming at half the price. It has all the same AirPlay functionality for sharing content from your iPhone and includes support for HDR / Dolby Vision. The remote control has a nifty headphones jack as well for silent viewing.

The Roku Ultra is frequently on sale in the $80 to $90 range and can be found under $70 around Black Friday. Check Amazon’s price here.

Savings: At least $80

Apple Announcement: AirTags

Picking up on the popularity of the Tile trackers that help people track their lost keys or luggage, Apple has finally released a version of that tech. Called AirTags, the small disc-like device has Bluetooth LE, an accelerometer, a tiny speaker and a battery that can be replaced. These devices will show up in Apple’s Find My App, basically playing a sound on the tracker to help find it.

Apple is pricing a single AirTag tracker at $29 or $99 for a four-pack. Apple is also creating a variety of accessories like keychain holders and luggage tags.

Cheaper Alternative: Tile Stickers

Basically identical technology for half the price, Tile Stickers have an adhesive back that can be attached to objects like remote controls or wallets. It will emit a chime when within 150 feet of it via your phone’s Tile app. A four-pack retails for $60, but frequently drops into the $45 to $50 range. Check Amazon’s Price here.

Savings: At least $40

Apple Announcement: iPad Pro with M1 Chip

Apple’s refresh of the iPad Pro line now includes the M1 chip that powers devices like the MacBook Pro and Mac Mini. Apple has upgraded the display to mini-LED, using 10,000 of those on the 12.9″ model. There’s a new 12-megapixel camera that includes tracking tech for video calls, very similar to people-tracking on the Facebook Portal.

Of course, Apple is increasing prices again. The 12.9-inch model will start at $1,099 and the 11-inch model starts at is $799.

Cheaper Alternative: Samsung S7+ Tablet

Clocking in at 12.4-inches, the Samsung S7+ doesn’t offer a fancy mini-LED screen, but it does offer a 2800 x 1752 display. It has a microSD port that lets you expand memory up to 1TB (not offered on the iPad Pro) and comes with the S Pen stylus for free ($129 for the Apple Pencil). It also comes with a fingerprint scanner, a 13-megapixel camera, Dolby Atmos quad speakers and a fast Octa-core processor.

The base model of the Samsung S7+ is 128Gb in size and starts at $750 (with sales in the $650 to $700 range). You will also find sales on the 256GB and 512GB models. In addition, Samsung has a S7 11-inch model that starts around $550. Check Prices on Amazon Here.

Savings: At Least $350

Apple Announcement: iMac w/ M1 chip

Easily one of the biggest announcements today, Apple redesigned the iMac with a bit of a throwback to the color scheme of the original iMacs. The new iMac offers a 24-inch screen, a 4.5K resolution display, a new 1080p camera and a form factor that’s roughly 11.5mm thin.

Once again, Apple thinks so highly of their products that their customers get the privilege of paying $1,299 for the base model of the iMac (256GB memory, 8GB RAM, Magic keyboard).

Cheaper Alternative: HP 24 All-in-One Desktop

One of the best advantages of going with an HP 24″ all-in-one is the ability to scale up your specs in a way that Apple doesn’t allow. If you want specs similar to Apple’s iMac, you are looking at a $699 starting price. However, you can scale up the HP all the way to a model with 32GB of RAM and a 2TB SSD for about $120 less than what Apple will charge for the base model iMac. Check Prices at Amazon.

Savings: Up to $600

Here’s five cheaper alternatives to everything Apple announced today

Shopping for a new Apple Watch, iPad or iPhone this year?  We’ve looked through all the Black Friday ads and broken down where you can get the the cheapest Apple Watch, the cheapest Apple iPad and the cheapest Apple iPhone (as well as backup options).

Best Deal on an Apple Watch: $129

Trimming about $40 off Ben’s best price point, Walmart is running a doorbuster sale on the base model Series 3 w/ GPS. The 38mm is being reduced from $199 to $129 and the 42mm is being reduced from $229 to $159. This deal like likely to sell out quickly, both in-store and online. Amazon could also price match early.

As a backup option, Target is running a $170 sale on the Series 3 (but that’s roughly the same online sale price at the moment). Alternatively, if you want a Series 4 model, check out Best Buy’s sale which knocks $50 off the base model. The discount scales up to $300 off with more expensive models like the Nike+ models or the models in the gold stainless steel design.

• Walmart: Apple Watch Series 3
• Target: Apple Watch Series 3
• Best Buy: Apple Watch Series 4

Best Deal on an Apple iPad: $249

All retailers are chopping $80 off the retail price of the 7th generation, base model iPad for Black Friday this year. The 32GB iPad will drop from $329 to $249 at Walmart, Target, Best Buy, Amazon and any other retailer that carries it.

If you are looking for a deal on the iPad Pro, Best Buy is already offering their Black Friday pricing to My Best Buy members (free to join). You can get $150 off the 64GB base model or $200 off the models with more storage space. It’s likely Amazon will price match on black Friday week.

• Walmart: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB
• Target: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB
• Best Buy: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB
• Amazon: Apple iPad (2019) 32GB

Best Deal on an Apple iPhone: Up $700 in Gift Cards

It appears that Walmart is clearing out their inventory of iPhone Xs models, based on the rewards offered with activation on Black Friday. You can receive a $450 digital gift card for Walmart.com for purchasing / activating an iPhone Xs as well as a 2nd gift card up to $250, if you trade in your old phone.

If you are looking for a deal on the iPhone 11 or 11 Pro, head to Best Buy. The retailer is offering up to $500 discount on the price of the phone (not a gift card deal), if you purchase / activate as well as trade in an older phone. Similar to Walmart, Target is also offering a gift card with an iPhone Xs, but it’s only $200.

• Walmart: Apple iPhone Xs
• Best Buy: Apple iPhone 11 Pro

Here’s the cheapest Apple Watch, iPad, iPhone on Black Friday 2019

If want to get six more months out of your old iPhone before the next upgrade cycle, the latest version of iOS is going to make your older device just a bit more responsive. Released today, iOS 12 is a solid improvement for older iPhone devices like the 5S and 6 as well as older iPad models.

According to these tests performed by Arstechnica, there are launch time improvements up to 26% on the iPhone 5S (compared to iOS 11.4.1) and improvements up to 21% on the iPhone 6 Plus. Most of the tests were performed on common apps like Safari, Camera and Mail as well as cold boot tests.

The full list of iOS 12 supported smartphones includes the 5s, SE, 6, 6 Plus, 7, 7 Plus, 8, 8 Plus, and X (as well as all new models). For iPads, the full list of supported tablets includes:

• iPad mini 2, mini 3 and mini 4
• iPad Air and Air 2
• iPad 5th generation (2017) and 6th generation (2018)
• 9.7-inch iPad Pro, 10.5-inch iPad Pro, 12.9-inch iPad Pro 1st generation and 12.9-inch iPad Pro 2nd generation.

While the update will automatically install at some point, you also have the option of forcing the update. To install the update, go into Settings and select General -> Software Update to download. If you don’t have enough space, Apple will automatically uninstall apps to make space, then reinstall those apps after iOS 12 is installed.

If you are shopping for budget iPhones, pricing is significantly better this week as well. We featured a deal last week for a $240 iPhone 6S (64GB). The MSRP for the base iPhone 7 has dropped to $449 and you can find refurbished models sold by Apple for $379. Check our smartphone deal feed for more options.

If you are looking for information about new features in iOs 12, you can find that here on Apple.com. A review of iOS 12 can be found below:

Money Saver Tip: iOS 12 makes older iPhones a little faster

Since Apple will announce the new iPhone this week, it could be time to start thinking about selling your old smartphone. While Apple has a trade-in program to pay customers for older iPhones, you will likely make more money by selling it through a third-party company or simply unloading it on an auction site.

To help you along with this process, we’ve compiled a set of helpful tips for getting the most green for your old smartphone.

1. Your old iPhone will start dropping in value each week after the new iPhone is announced.

According to research conducted by USell.com, the previous generations of iPhones fall in value by 5 percent the first week after new iPhone model(s) are announced. That figure increases to 12 percent in the second week and up to 20 percent within a month. Selling your phone this week as opposed to next month will allow you to recoup as much money as possible. Selling it prior to the announcement would have brought even greater monetary value.

Basically, this is due to falling demand and increasing supply. As retailers start taking more trade-ins and third-party resellers start paying out for more older iPhone models, the supply significantly increases. Those companies are competing against the supply on auction sites like eBay, as well. The cash value of an iPhone 8 could easily plummet by 33 to 50 percent over the next few months due to massive supply.

2. If your iPhone is unlocked, you will automatically make more money.

If you are currently an AT&T subscriber and you have fulfilled your contract, check out the device unlock page to read how to have your smartphone unlocked. Once the iPhone has been unlocked, you are generally looking at a 40 to 60 percent markup in value when selling it on eBay, Craigslist or another auction site. (Verizon’s policy, Sprint’s policy)

A few years ago, I did this with my iPhone 4 a couple months after getting the iPhone 5 and ended up making $250 on the sale. That’s $50 more than I originally paid for the smartphone in 2010!

Also, don’t forget to check the iOS version of your iPhone and list that in the auction. Anyone that’s interested in jailbreaking the device may want a specific firmware. That’s something that can also increase the value of the device significantly, albeit within a smaller subset of users.

3. Compare gift card value against cash value.

When you are upgrading to a new smartphone, check the retailer where you are purchasing the new phone for gift card deals. Retailers are generally more liberal about store credit in order to bring more people into the store. For instance, the gift card value of an iPhone 7 in good condition at Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Apple ranges from $225 to $300. Alternatively, cash value from a third party site like Gazelle hovers around $153 to $202 at the moment.

While you have to apply that gift card value to a new smartphone purchase, you can end up coming out ahead. Also, it will save you the hassle of selling the device on an auction site. If you don’t regularly use sites like eBay or Craigslist, jumping right in to sell a high value smartphone can be tricky.

4. When selling on iPhone on an auction site, be as descriptive as possible.

People into Apple devices are notoriously (and perhaps stereotypically) image conscious, particularly about the condition of their Apple gadgets. If you never protected the smartphone with a case over the last two years, you probably ended up with some nicks and scratches on the rear panel, sides or front of the device.

Be sure to include an exact description of every blemish. Also list out the specs. How much memory does it come with? What carrier networks does it work on? Does it come with the original packaging? What’s the condition of the earbuds or charging cable? Does the Home button stick at all when pressed?

5. Leverage social media when selling your iPhone.

Very often, people forget about social media when attempting to sell an iPhone. However, you probably have plenty of friends that are simply in between phones or are looking to replace a smartphone that was smashed or perhaps dropped in the toilet.

Leave off any info about the price you want and just let interested friends contact you over private message or email. If you have posted the phone on Craigslist, you can also just post a link to the ad if you want.

6. Don’t forget to wipe everything, fingerprints included!

This goes double for anyone who’s attempting to sell the iPhone with a specific iOS version intact. If you need to keep the version intact, use the “Erase All Content and Settings” in the Reset section of the General menu and be sure to scour that phone repeatedly to remove all personal information from the device. This includes email account information, text messages, Apple Store account information, etc…

If you don’t need to keep the version of iOS at a specific firmware version, run the factory wipe on the device. It will return the iPhone to the original factory condition as if you never used it.

7. Even if you drove over your iPhone with a monster truck recently, it’s worth something.

If you have a nonworking phone, don’t throw it in a drawer or the trash can. It’s worth something to someone. You may be able to sell it for parts on eBay or you can simply sell it for $15 to $25 to a recycling company. Either way, you can make a small bit of cash on your broken phone.

Also, if you only smashed the glass screen on your iPhone and it still works, consider replacing the glass yourself or having it replaced. If you are a DIY type of person, you can purchase the kits for $10 to $20 on eBay.

You can also pay someone who specializes in those repairs, costing you approximately $60 to $100. Either way, you stand to make a bit of money on the resale of your iPhone after it’s fixed.

Buying the New iPhone? 7 Tips on Selling Your Old iPhone

If you are hanging onto an older iPhone in order to save some money, you might be running into battery problems at this point in the phone’s lifespan. Ideal for anyone that bought iPhones between late- 2014 and mid-2017, the Battery Health (beta) in iOS 11.3 will tell you if your iPhone battery is on its way out or still kicking.

To access this information, update to iOS 11.3, then go to Settings, tap Battery and then tap Battery Health. The Maximum Capacity field will tell you how your battery compares to a brand new battery (in the same phone). We ran the test on an iPhone 6 Plus and found the battery was at 87% compared to a brand new replacement battery.

Anything below 80% and you should consider bringing your iPhone into an Apple Store to get it swapped out. Apple has lowered the cost of those procedure to $29 (from $79) for anyone with an iPhone 6 or newer as a way to apologize for slowing down phones.

In addition, users have the power to flip off the performance throttling in the same menu. Under “Peak Performance Capability,” users will be able to see if throttling has been flipped on and will be able to disable it as necessary.

Of course, this could increase the possibility of an iPhone crash, assuming the battery is having difficulty keeping up. If your phone is still running at peak performance, you won’t see an option to turn on throttling. It only appears after an iPhone has shutdown unexpectedly as a power management precaution.

Other updates in iOS 11.3 include a few new animoji characters for iPhone X users, a chat function within the Messages app that connects you directly with businesses, new augmented reality capabilities and the ability to view your medical records on your phone (assuming your health system participates).

iPhone battery problems? Latest iOS will tell you to replace or not

Tacked onto the announcement of the already expensive $769 iPhone 7 Plus (base 32GB model), Apple announced a wireless version of the EarPods that may push your total cost over $1,000 (with tax) if you purchase the bundle.

Priced at $159 (roughly $130 more than the new wired version with Lightning jack), the Apple AirPods offer the same sound quality as the wired option, but at more than five times the price!

Destined to get lost in your couch cushions within the first week, Apple AirPods offer a 5-hour battery life (when in use), Bluetooth pairing and touch controls.

More expensive than a 32GB Apple TV, the AirPods include sensors that automatically stop music if one falls out of your ear. Of course, there’s no ‘Find My AirPods’ functionality built-in when you inevitably lose one.

After the insanely priced headphones were announced today, the Twitterverse had lots of fun.

Here’s a sampling of the funniest tweets:

Just saved myself $159 with these homemade #AirPods #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/5nG7eMAqf8

— Si (@Si_Bags) September 7, 2016

When I saw the price of the headphones. #AppleEvent #AirPods pic.twitter.com/rzJaTnVKGh — angie baby (@kindnessandfire) September 7, 2016

Worried about losing your wireless Airpods? For just $59.99, let me send you my new invention. #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/1wzW5u0DnB

— mah ree nah (@marinarachael) September 7, 2016

when u accidentally swallow those #airpods #appleevent pic.twitter.com/VJkFuPBVFb — Elliott Desai (@elliottdesai) September 7, 2016

The AirPods came a long way from that first prototype. pic.twitter.com/GbzLZ8Nwzr

— Kay Reindl (@KayReindl) September 7, 2016

only looking at the picture and I’ve already choked, died and got one lodged in my ear canal #AppleEvent #AirPods pic.twitter.com/lsl9HpZtjO — Ross Buchanan (@rossy) September 7, 2016

love the new apple #airpods pic.twitter.com/FlgGhNvN9r

— i am strikes (@iamstrikesmusic) September 7, 2016

Just saved myself $159… #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/WJQdh9f3CN — Lux (@Callux) September 7, 2016

#AirPods? I guess another name was taken. pic.twitter.com/DzI7xUGbbe

— josh groban (@joshgroban) September 7, 2016

Searching my #AirPods after #AppleEvent pic.twitter.com/ymiHQvz0Lo — Amit Panchal (@AmitHPanchal) September 7, 2016

When you can’t find your AirPods anywhere pic.twitter.com/t6sUfLT1oA

— Super Deluxe (@superdeluxe) September 7, 2016

This Week in Ridiculous Prices: $159 Apple AirPods

We’ve just updated the Ben’s Bargains mobile app for both iOS and Android devices (version 1.2), specifically with a sleeker design to showcase more deals. In addition to the new design, we’ve also added landscape support on iOS as well as an iPad version of the app.

On the iPad version of the app, we’ve placed the category listings on the left side as well as a search bar and your most recent searches. You can quickly jump between product categories without having to switch to another page within the app. You also have the option of switching to landscape mode automatically in order to browse a larger number of deals at a time.

Managing deal alerts is easier in the new layout, ideal for anyone watching mulitple product categories for specific deals. We’ve also added optional push notification options within the app, useful if you want to catch an extremely hot deal before it sells out. You can set push notification for each specific alert as needed.

You can download (or update) the new versions of the apps on Google Play for Android users (LINK) and the App Store for iOS users (LINK). The Google Play version is compatible with Jelly Bean and higher (Android version 4.0.3 and up). Our iOS version for Apple devices is compatible with iOS version 8.2 or higher.

Ben’s App on Google Play –  Ben’s App on iTunes

You can also see more photos of the new iPad version of the app below:

The Ben’s Bargains app now offers iPad support, new design

Power is always a necessity in today’s world of smartphones, tablets, laptops and every other mobile device that we carry around. Battery manufacturers have certainly recognized this need, thus the influx of portable battery chargers has somewhat exploded over the past five years. One such battery is the Aukey 10000mAh model, a battery that includes a Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 port for 2.4 amp charging of supported Android devices and 2.0 amp charging for supported Apple devices.

Design

The Aukey 10000mAh Battery is 6.5 inches tall, just under 3 inches in width and less than an inch thick; roughly the size of two decks of cards stacked end to end.. The compact design makes it ideal for travel, perhaps more so than competing models from companies like Jackery. On one end of the portable battery, you will find a 1 amp charging port as well as the Qualcomm Quick Charge 2.0 port. In between the two port, you will find a LED light that can be activated with the power button on the side. On the opposite side from the power button, you will find the micro USB charging port.

The battery is also lightweight, far less than one pound in weight. There are no power meters on the battery to indicate remaining power levels. Instead, Aukey uses indicator lights to provide an estimated range. By pressing the power button once, you can check the power. A white light means there’s 60 to 100 percent of the battery power left. A green light means 20 to 60 percent and a red light means between 0 and 20 percent of battery life left.

Performance

I performed a few timing tests with Aukey’s 10000mAh model, specifically putting it up against other chargers. Charging an iPhone 6 Plus from 50 percent battery life to 100 percent took about 75 minutes using the orange quick charge port; slower than a 2.4 amp wall plug that knocked it out the same in just under 60 minutes. However, I could find no decrease in charging speed between a 2.4 amp wall plug and the Aukey battery when charging up a Samsung Galaxy S6. It was charging at the same rate, ideal for anyone that needs a quick charge during a commute.

On average, you will probably get nearly two full charges for smartphones and one full charge for a tablet. When the Aukey battery is completely dead, it consistently took me just under five hours to completely recharge it using a 2.4 amp wall plug. The secondary 1 amp port performs pretty much identically to any standard iPhone charger from Apple. It’s roughly half the speed of the quick charge port, even less so when using an Android device. However, it’s nice when you have multiple devices to charge, ideal for families perhaps.

I didn’t have any issues with overheating. That can often be an issue with portable batteries, but the Aukey model stayed cool to the touch both when recharging the internal battery and charging up my mobile devices. I also didn’t have any issues with turning the LED light at the top of the battery on and off. The light is fairly bright, but I can’t imagine a scenario at home where I would be able to find the black battery in the dark. However, I can see how it would be useful when carrying it around in a laptop bag, ideal when searching through the bag at night or using the light to illuminate the lock on a car or front door.

Should You Buy It?

If you have one of the Android devices listed at the bottom of the review, then this is definitely a great mobile charger. It would be ideal for anyone that runs out of battery during the day and doesn’t have access to any power outlets. If you have an iPhone, the Aukey battery is fast, just not as fast as a 2.4 amp wall charger. On average, the sale price on this model is usually around $30. That’s roughly the same sale price as the Jackery Giant+, a 12,000 mAh charger. However, the Aukey battery has a much thinner width, basically more portable, and a higher power rating for Android charging.

Check Amazon Price of Aukey 10000mAh Battery

Quick Charge 2.0 Compatible Android models

Aukey Quick Charge 2.0 10000mAh Battery Review