Let me first start off by saying I love my devices. I use both iOS and Android and I love them both. I use them for work and I use them for fun. But there is one other aspect I go crazy for, the accessories. The best accessory in my opinion is the one that can be used on multiple devices and does not cost an arm and a leg.

This is the time of year when I put my Christmas list together and hope to find goodies in my stocking on Dec. 25. As I am typing this up, I’m pretty sure there are a whole bunch of us out there that are hoping for the same thing. So if you are looking for an item for your list or want to get a great gift for someone, I’m here to remind you about the folks at Toddy Gear.

Toddy Gear offers some cool, and fun, products to help keep your screens clean. I’m not going to do a full review on them, as I have done a couple in the past. The most recent one can be found here. As you go through their website, you will see their functional  accessories, that every device owner should have. I have been using their smart cloth since the first day it came out and it’s still going strong.

Here’s  a sample of their holiday 2013 themed items.

Flurries Wedge ($14.99)

An all-in-one stand and cleaning system. Have a case on? No big deal. Just rest your device on the Wedge and you have an instant stand for your iPhone or iPad. Is your screen dirty? Use one side of the Wedge to clean it, and then polish your screen with the other silky side of the stand. 

Midnight Hour Pocket Toddy ($9.99)

This limited-edition holiday design is perfect for keeping you iDevice clean on the go. the Toddy folds up into a little attached pocket and comes with an elastic loop that attaches to any backpack, purse, or bag.

Flurries Smart Cloth ($9.99) 

This 5x7 cloth is perfect for cleaning dirt, dust and smudges from iPhones, iPads, iPods, Androids, tablets, eyeglasses, or camera lenses and comes in a fun array of seasonal prints.

The quality of these items are very solid. They don’t feel cheap at all. If you are already a current user, I think you will agree. Current owners and users, please post your comments on these products below so other people can benefit from them too. I also think that if you look through their site, you will find something for everyone on your list. Great for stocking stuffers, gifts, and even the office Secret Santa gift exchange. 

There are a great many options when it comes to incredible over-ear headphones, and they can range in price from under $50 to well over $400, and upward. Professional musicians and audiophiles alike tend to agree that a good pair of over-ear headphones will provide you with the most accurate and authentic listening experience available.

To make it onto this list a headphone needn't be the priciest, instead the more it can boast of the following attributes the higher it will rank. This list is for standard, wireless headphones only, Bluetooth headphones get their own separate list, so stay tuned for that.

1. Sound quality. It may seem counter-intuitive, but just because a headphone is more expensive, it does not mean it is always one of the best sounding headphones. Things like driver size and material, design of the speaker housing, and passive or active noise cancelation features are all factors in determining sound quality.
2. Comfort. Even the best sounding headphones aren't going to be appreciated that much if you can't wear them comfortably for as long as you want, or at least for extended periods of time. Ear-cushion comfort is extremely important, especially in this Over-Ear category, as is headband comfort.
3. Overall design. How durable are a pair of headphones? How ergonomically designed is a pair of headphones? Are they too heavy? Is there too much "head clamp"? Are the controls conveniently located?
4. Extras, which might include an incorporated in-line mic and/or song controller, a nice carrying case, or an extra headphone cable.
5. Only headphones that I have personally tried out and have had some hands-on time with (either because a sample was sent to me to evaluate for iPhone Life, or because I tried them while at a tech event like CES) are featured here, so you know that my feedback is based on experience and actually putting any given headphone to the test.

1. V-Moda Crossfade M-100  $310.00

Delivering one of the most intensely powerful listening experiences I've enjoyed in a pair of headphones, the V-Moda Crossfade M-100s are truly impressive. The Crossfade M-100 is my pick as the best over-ear headphone of the year. Gamers and audiophiles alike will appreciate their meticulously crafted design and laser-accurate acoustics. Built and tested to be virtually indestructible, the Crossfade M-100s are subjected to testing prior to leaving the factory that qualifies them as the most rugged, heavy-duty pair of headphones on my list, though you’d never know just from looking at their low profile design!

The Crossfade M-100s fit snugly, but extremely comfortably, over your ears and the earpieces create a very effective, passive noise reduction enclosure around your ear. Worth noting, when I was testing the Crossfade M-100s I used both the standard sized ear-cushion and the larger size. For me the larger ear pads made a comfortable but tight pair of headphones into a pair of headphones that were so comfortable I could literally wear them all day long. They fold in to a ridiculously small size to fit in their compact, hard shell carrying case. While this headphones comes with detachable cable options, gamers will be happy to note that V-Moda also offers the Boom microphone extension for the Crossfade M-100, for one of the best in-game voice chat experiences you'll find.

2.SMS Street ANC $279.95

The SMS Streets are right up there with the best over-ear headphones I've tested this year. There are pros and cons to every headphone, but the Streets have an excellent balance of all the elements that I would consider when I look for the best of the best of 2013.

The SMS Streets are luxuriously comfortable and deliver some of the best and most accurate sound of any headphone I've tested this year. I could wear these headphones all day without getting fatigued, and that's saying something. The SMS Streets also feature active noise canceling technology, giving you the option of effectively masking most external sounds. Overall, the design and presentation of the Streets is excellent. They are stylish and rugged and come with a hard-shell carrying case.

SMS stands for Studio Mastered Sound, and in the case of the Streets, this couldn't be a more apt descriptive title for them. Whether you are a professional recording artist, a hardcore audiophile, a serious gamer, or someone who puts a headphone’s comfort level as a high priority, the SMS Streets will be sure to impress.

3.Meze 88 Classics $309.00

The Meze 88 Classics are like the Lamborghini of headphones. Plush comfort and elegant wood speaker housings are a big part of the charm of these outstanding headphones. The Classic 88s have a sound quality that is simply hard to beat, a result of large, high-performance drivers and the natural acoustic resonance of wood, which adds a silky smooth flow to every note that comes out of them. At $309.00 the 88 Classics are one of the more expensive pairs of headphones on this list, but if money is not an issue, you won't be disappointed with these most excellent headphones. The only thing the Meze 88 Classics lack is an in-line mic/music controller, but I spoke directly with designer Antonio Meze about this and I've got my fingers crossed that he’ll incorporate this into future designs.

4.Phiaton Bridge MS 500 $269.00

The Phiaton Bridge MS 500 are one of the most technically ingenious and masterfully designed professional-quality headphones I've come across. With sound chambers within sound chambers, precision crafted drivers, and a natural and ergonomic comfort the Bridge MS 500s will satisfy even the most discerning audiophile’s tastes. The comfort of these slimline headphones can't be overlooked either, they are ultra-plush and totally comfortable—perfect for distortion-free, extended listening and recording or gaming sessions.

5.Scosche RH 1060 $199.99

When I speak of Bluetooth headphones many audiophiles may scoff at their sound quality as a result of the audio compression that occurs when sound is transmitted via Bluetooth. Scosche’s RH 1060 reference-grade headphones are a shining example that not all Bluetooth audio devices suffer from this affliction. The 1060s feature the most accurate, studio-quality sound of any Bluetooth headphone I've ever come across.

With a quick-charging Li-ion battery, a comfortable and spacious design, controls for music playback built into the right-side earpiece and an optional plug in cord in case the power is low, the Scosche RH 1060s are the complete package when it comes to performance and superior design. And of course, the convenience of cable-free, lossless listening in a stylish pair of over-ear headphones is truly hard to beat.

6.House of Marley Rise Up $101.00

House of Marley’s Rise Ups are a stylish option with several unique characteristics. First of all, the Rise Ups are carefully designed and tested by the offspring of the reggae superstar Bob Marley. When you put on the Rise Up you get the sense that music and high fidelity sound are the family’s lifeblood and this is noticeable in every note that flows from these well designed headphones. Secondly, the Rise Up, and in fact, the entire House of Marley product line, is fabricated almost entirely from either recycled or forest-friendly materials. With my large ears I found the Rise Up to be a bit of a tight fit for me, but there is no denying that these headphones pump out some of the best, most acoustically precise sound of any set on the market right now.

7.Griffin WoodTones $99.99

The WoodTones are the most comfortable headphones on this list. These headphones are feather light and feature the cushiest earpieces of any headphone on my list. The WoodTones are unique in that not only do they have decadently plush ear padding, they also have a thin cushion over the speaker driver within the speaker housing, meaning that ear fatigue is practically a non-issue and that even lying down with them on, you won't experience the discomfort of having a hard speaker digging into your earlobe. The wooden speaker housing lends an acoustic ambience to the WoodTones that makes whatever you are listening to sound warmer and more intimate, and they have a unique headband that is infinitely adjustable due to an internal elastic band that let's you get just the perfect fir for your cranium. I did notice a slight distortion of bass and treble at the highest volume settings and they aren't nearly as sturdy as the above-mentioned headphones, but for the money, they are hard to beat!

8.SuperTooth Freedom$186.00

The SuperTooth Freedom NFC headphone is a slick looking, custom fitting and excellent sounding pair of Bluetooth headphones. With a 15-hour battery life, the Freedoms offer some of the best playback time of any Bluetooth headphone I've tested. It supports Bluetooth 4 which allows for instant pairing with recently used iDevices and greater battery life, and they also allow for wired use when desired. They are lightweight and flexible, with swiveling earpieces, and they felt great on my head, not too tight in the headband or in the ear cushions. The Freedom doesn't have quite the same rugged feel as the Scosche RH1060s and its microphone seemed a bit temperamental—calls could sound muffled and distant—but overall, the SuperTooth Freedom is an exceptional and very comfortable pair of over-ear Bluetooth cans.

9. Technical Pro HPS820 $36.99

The T-Pro HPS820s are the steal-of-a-deal headphones. They have professional sound quality and high performance speaker drivers, but the manufacturers trimmed expenses and cut consumer costs by forgoing the fancy metal and leather that most of the above headphones have, utilizing high-grade plastics and faux leather to fabricate these headphones instead. The sound that comes out of the HPS820s is impressive and the generous earpiece design is both extremely comfortable and also works very effectively to seal outside sounds out, or to keep whatever you are listening to from being heard by those around you. The T-Pro HPS820s are the perfect gift for any teenager or young adult who likes to crank it up or for any audiophile or DJ looking for a reliable back up pair of on-the-go headphones. These high performance headphones are all the more impressive due to their extremely affordable price point.

Hopefully this roundup of my picks for the top nine headphones of 2013 will help you find the perfect headphone for anyone on your holiday shopping list. Happy Holiday listening everyone, from all of us here at iPhone Life!

A number of days ago, Apple quietly began making a new option available for those interested in purchasing an iPhone 5s. You can now buy an unlocked, SIM-free iPhone 5s. As you likely know, this entails paying the whole price of the phone up front, but you avoid having to commit to a two-year contract. Note though, they're only offering GSM, which limits the phone to being used on AT&T's or T-Mobile's networks. You'll need to get your SIM card directly from one of those carriers. The price is $649 for the 16GB iPhone 5s, $749 for 32GB, and $849 for 64GB.

Why buy an unsubsidized phone? In the long run, you'll save money because your monthly plan will be cheaper. In addition, as Apple explains, if you travel abroad frequently and want to use your phone inexpensively in other countries, an unlocked phone is your best choice. GSM is the protocol of choice in most countries, and you can simply get a SIM from a local carrier and pay local rates rather than having to pay the high international rate offered by AT&T and T-Mobile. Some countries even offer SIM cards in vending machines on the street.

The iPhone 5c has been available in an unlocked, SIM-free version since it launched in September. 

November is almost over, the shops are full of mince pies and brightly colored decorations, and the temperature has suddenly plummeted. it can only mean one thing; Christmas is just around the corner. We’ve decided to get into the festive spirit a little early, and have rounded up the best seasonal apps for your iPhone; from virtual letters to Santa Claus to a handy gift planner, and even a talking Gingerbread Man, there’s something for the old, the young, and the young-at-heart. Ding dong merrily on high!

Christmas App for Children

1. Letters to Santa Claus ($0.99) 

Letters to Santa clause is the twenty-first century version of putting a note up the chimney; your child can write a letter to Santa, and then as if by magic, receive a reply roughly an hour later. With the ability to send cookies, bells, and mittens along with the letter, this is a charming app that will delight kids and add to the festive excitement.

2. Santa Tracker ($0.99)

If your kids aren’t already excited enough about Christmas, turn them even more manic with the Santa Tracker app, which does a lot more than it says on the tin. Combining the ability to see exactly where Santa and his reindeer are on a satellite map with extra features such as Santa’s blog, texts from the man himself, and sleigh ride test runs, this clever app will keep the little ones entertained in the countdown to the big day.

3. Appy Christmas (free)

If you’re looking for a festive app that covers all bases, thenAppy Christmas could be just what you’re looking for. Featuring a countdown timer, festive music, and an advent calendar, this app will make the run-up to Christmas Day a lot more fun, while the talking Santa will amuse children and adults alike.

4. Talking Gingerbread Man (free)

We’ve had talking cats and conversational Santas, and now for the festive season, turn your attention to the Talking Gingerbread Man app. Make him talk, provide him with bells for ringing, and choreograph him a dance to the sound of cheery Christmas tunes; this is certainly the most entertaining cookie you’ll stumble across this season.

5. Snowman Maker (free)

While the chance of a white Christmas might be slim, that doesn’t mean you have to cross making snowmen off of your festive list completely, the Snowman Maker app allows you to choose the body, head, arms, and facial features of your ideal snowman, then add on clothing, sunglasses, accessories, and even pets. Hours of fun for the entire family!

Christmas Apps for Adults

1. Christmas (free)

For any adults that truly adore the festive season, the Christmas app is the ideal addition to your iPhone this December. With great features such as a countdown, cheery Christmas music, jigsaw puzzles, and even wallpaper, this app will help even the Scroogiest members of the family get into the spirit of things.

2. GiftPlanner (free) 

You know what they say; an app is for life, not just for Christmas; and this is certainly true of the excellent GiftPlannerapp which helps to keep track of everything you’re buying, whether it’s for the festive season, Easter or even birthdays. A seriously comprehensive app, it features the ability to track wish lists, scan barcodes, and keep a note of required sizes and other important details. You’ll never forget a birthday again.

3. Santa's Christmas Village ($1.99)

A great all round app, Santa's Christmas Village combines seventeen fun puzzles with traditional music, and hand-drawn graphics for hours of entertainment. Pass the Christmas countdown by indulging in festive Sudoko, snowman hangman, and reindeer match, amongst many, many others. Great fun.

4. Good Food Festive Recipes app ($2.99)

If you’re the designated cook, a good food app will definitely come in handy this season, and they don’t come much more useful than the Good Food Festive Recipes app. Featuring over 150 great recipes, handy tips for basic food preparation, and beautifully simple instructions, you’ll find directions for dishes for every event, from a family dinner to festive parties.

2nd Vote (free)

2nd Vote is a clever application. Written by conservatives, the application is designed to inform its users so they can cast a second vote, an economic vote, to reinforce their personal political and social views. The app details the political leanings of major corporations: where they invest and what stands they take, for instance, on same sex partner benefits.

You must sign-up for a free account for the app to work. You may want to read this before you sign-up.

The companies are categorized by industry or by issue. Issues include Second Amendment rights, corporate welfare, environment, gay marriage, and abortion. The app provides a score for each area for each company. If a company doesn’t score well, the app suggests similar companies that might be a better politically aligned alternative. Further, each score is supplemented with additional information, but the source of that information isn’t disclosed.

The app also includes social media for sharing, a link to a map, and an internal voting mechanism so you can say if you support a company or not.

Let’s take a look at Apple. Apple is red, with a 3.7 overall rating. Apple rates a very low 3 on environment, which the app attributes to Apple leaving the “Chamber of Commerce over the opposition to the Chamber’s global warming views.” It does not say if it was the Palo Alto Chamber or the U.S. Chamber. By the way, it was the U.S. Chamber and the issue was the Obama Administration’s plan to regulate greenhouse gases (see WSJ article Exodus: Apple Leaves Chamber of Commerce Over Climate Spat).

Apple gets a 2 in Marriage because they received a 100 from the Human Rights Coalition for their support of the LGBT community. Also stated without documentation, though it is not completely incorrect; Apple received a 100 from the Human Rights Campaign (not Coalition). You can find out more about Apple's human rights rating at the Human Rights Campaign's Buyer's Guide.

Here is how the 2nd Vote website describes their criteria and the scoring:

We base our scoring system on the following information:

• Direct and indirect corporate donations
• Activities and stated policies from these companies
• Documented sponsorships for various political and advocacy-related events
• Corporate leadership donations, activity and advocacy
• Lobbying spent for or against various issues on the federal and state levels

We use this information to score each company on a scale of 1 to 10 on various issues. The scale is calculated as follows:

1. Widespread verbal support or funding or logo placement in direct support of a liberal cause, such as pro-abortion groups or gun control groups.
2. Donations to groups that promote liberal agendas or give direct support to legislation furthering those agendas.
3. Donations to lobbyist groups or third party groups promoting liberal agendas.
4. Allow liberal agendas to influence your shopping experience. Examples include discouraging gun possession from all property, offering benefits to shoppers supporting a liberal agenda, or advertisement that targets those supporting a liberal agenda.
5. Direct support of liberal causes on company grounds, including restricting employees and customers from carrying guns or offering spousal benefits to same sex partners.
6. Absence of support of any liberal agendas.
7. Show support of conservative agendas.
8. Openly pushed against corporate funding of groups supporting or lobbying for liberal agendas.
9. Funding of groups supporting conservative agendas and legislation.
10. Funding of multiple conservative groups and promote a conservative agenda in their business platform or company values.

So here’s the interesting thing. This is an app intended to help conservatives vote with the pocketbooks by detailing who and who isn’t supporting the conservative agenda (or the app writer’s version of the conservative agenda). It is however, also an app that could be used by liberals to support the very companies that the conservatives don’t want supported. As television political pundits know all too well, information can be spun by whoever holds it. With 2nd Vote you hold at least one conservative group’s analysis in your hands. You can choose to apply the app's analysis however you like—as the freedom of choice, at least so far, seems still be a universal concept even if its details get challenged now and again by topics like health care and gun ownership.

Apple fans from any generation seem to have a special love for product design. But up until this year, it was impossible to find a comprehensive collection of photographs covering Apple's design history, leaving many of these diehards with only mental images. Iconic, a massive photographic coffee table book on the history of Apple, showcases almost every product Apple has ever made. Author and creator Jonathan Zufi talked to iPhone Life about the book, taking the photos, and what it was like to talk to one of the founders of the world's most valuable company.

Could you explain the project a little bit?

Back in 2009, I had this moment of nostalgia and I remembered an old computer game I used to play when I was in high school; and so I jumped on eBay to look for an old computer to play the game on. I started browsing through eBay and saw all of these retro computers, and I just had this crazy idea about creating an online photo depository of Apple products and just decided to do it properly I needed to really cover every single product they've ever made. I went on this buying spree and I started buying whatever products I could find on eBay. I started the project and it kind of grew and grew and I launched the website in 2011. Around that time, a friend of mine had told me that the photos looked really good and that I should think about doing a coffee table book. I went and self published and found a designer and editor and put the book together. 

That's awesome. You obviously met a lot of people on your trip to find the pictures. Besides the fact that they were interested in Apple, what was a common thing you found between each person?

Just a passion for the company and the products. Everyone was either a collector or ex-employee, and they just loved the company and loved the products. One of the coolest things is so many employees have reached out to say that they also want a copy of the book, but also to say, "I've been working at Apple for twenty years and I had no idea that they once made video cameras and scanners," and things like that. That's been pretty cool.

I saw in the video on iconicbook.com that the foreword was by Steve Wozniak and there are other parts where key players in Apple's history talked about Apple. What did you discover by talking to them?

Apple's policy about looking back is pretty well-documented. Phil Schiller said that someone put forward a recommendation of building a museum on the new campus. Someone sent a letter to the executive team and Phil Schiller wrote back and it was covered in the news. He said that Apple is about inventing the future, not celebrating the past. That's their official stance; but when you talk to all of these people, everyone is interested in these past products because they all bring this nostalgia and they all remind people of just how amazing the company is. I'd say one of the common threads is interest and support in the project and what I've done.

How easy or difficult was it to talk to these people? Steve Wozniak is probably not an easy guy to reach.

He's not. I could probably write a second book about what it took to get in touch with him. The compressed version is that I managed to locate a personal friend of his and I reached out and said, "Hey, I'm trying to get in touch with Steve and I'm really just looking for a quote." That kind of ended up with a meet-up in Atlanta; and I showed him the full draft of the book and, no doubt, about 85 percent of the way through, he just put it down and looked at me and said it was incredible. I just wanted to get his blessing and ask him to write the introduction and he said, "Absolutely." He travels a lot and has done a lot of public speaking around the world, from Moscow to Tokyo to Oakland to Australia. He's a huge traveler. Getting a moment with him was like winning the jackpot. He's been very supportive and absolutely loves the book and I'm very lucky to have his participation. 

When I was looking on the website through the pictures, the book seems to highlight the physical beauty of the product. What percentage do you think design contributes to the success of Apple products?

I think it's more and more about design today. People didn't really appreciate the whole design side in the beginning. If you have a look at the Macintosh, it was just different to anything that anyone had ever seen before. Today, I think it's a combination of design and usability, obviously. Apple has got a lot more competitive pressure with devices like Android and Windows Mobile. The best example is probably going to be the new Mac Pro. It's just beautiful to look at. If you watch all the videos and all of the stuff Jonathan Ive talks about, it's beautiful on the inside as well as the outside. I think that obviously there is a part of the population that couldn't care less about design. They just want it to be easy to use but there is a large population of people that want a product that looks good, feels good, and is usable. I think design still plays a huge part.

I looked at your LinkedIn page and saw that your job at SAP seems pretty demanding and important. How do you balance your normal job with an ambitious project like Iconic?

It's one of the reasons it took four years. I started back in 2009 and I was working for a different company then. I switched to SAP in 2011. It was just making sure I met my responsibilities during the day and coming home and working on it three or four hours until midnight and trying to get six or eight hours and do it all the next day. I was very transparent with my manager at work and everyone at SAP has been hugely supportive. I'm still managing to do a great job at SAP. I love working there. Now that the book is out, I have a little less pressure on the book side. I guess it's just accepting the fact you're going to be sleeping a little late [laughs].

At SAP, I saw that you do a lot of UI and UX. Do you see benefits of using Apple products to do those things and make apps versus the competition?

There is a whole other discussion on this, iOS versus Android. My team builds concept applications and prototypes that support SAP accounts. For us, iOS is a lot more predictable. If you want to build an app for Android, you have a lot more decisions you have to make, in terms of form factors, compatibility, and operating systems. Whereas if you build something for an iOS device, it's pretty predictable, whether it's an iPad or iPhone. SAP is a very heavy Apple company. Just from a development perspective, I think iOS is a much better environment to work with. Also, the target audience has a higher chance of having an iOS device than an Android tablet. Having said that, we develop for Android as well.

How much do you think you traveled worldwide to take all the pictures?

Worldwide, it wasn't that much. It was mainly domestic, from Portland to New York, to a lot of trips to San Francisco and Palo Alto, to Atlanta and South Carolina and Florida. 

Bluelounge has been making some great accessories for smartphones, tablets, and computers for the past few years. We recently got a chance to test out the Saidoka dock for iPhone 5/5s ($49.95) and the Mika($39.95), a universal stand for tablets, e-readers, and laptops. Will either deserve a place on your desk?

Design

The Saidoka, which comes in both a Lightning version and 30-pin version, is a charging dock for your iPhone that's designed to sit next to your keyboard. Available in both black and white, Saidoka keeps your iPhone docked at roughly the same angle as Apple's keyboards, making responding to texts or checking apps a breeze while you work. Two micro-suction strips on the bottom of the dock aid in adhering it to your desk, but won't leave any residue if you decide to move it. At just 3.25" wide and 4.5" deep, the Saidoka will be right at home next to your keyboard. Just attach the included micro-USB to the back of Saidoka, and the other end into your computer, set your phone in, and you're good to go. 

The Mika is a fixed-angle aluminum stand, akin to the L-shape stand of Apple's iMac. Save for the soft rubber edges on the top and bottom, Mika's sandblasted aluminum finish mirrors that of the iMac and Macbooks, allowing it to blend seamlessly into your Apple-centric workspace. At 4.5" at its widest point, and just 3.75" deep, the Mika won't add much clutter to your workspace.

Functionality

Saidoka: Although Saidoka can technically work with a case (there is a rubber insert that can be removed, allowing a case-clad iPhone to be docked), it wasn't so for me. I'm fairly certain that the only cases that will be compatible with Saidoka are shell-style cases that only snap on to the sides and back of the iPhone. But, once you remove whatever case you may be using, simply dock it in and onto the Lighting connector. While in the Saidoka, your phone can be charged and synced to your computer. 

Since Saidoka holds your phone at a similar angle Apple's keyboards, transitioning from typing to dealing with your phone is seamless. When it's time to run or answer a call, removing the iPhone from the dock was easily doable with one hand, in my experience. Unfortunately, the dock lacks any type of acoustics, rendering it useless if you want to take a call on speakerphone or listen to music while your phone it docked.

Mika: The Mika holds your tablet (the iPad Air in my case) at roughly a 70-degree angle, which for me, was perfect for a few taps here or there while working on my main computer. With my iPad in landscape orientation, the Mika's angle was great for watching movies and playing games that didn't require me to hold the device in my hands. Reading with the Mika is also surprisingly pleasant, whether it be at the desk, or during a meal at the table. Unlike the Saidoka, Mika doesn't have any micro-suction pads to secure it to your desk. Fortunately, this makes moving the stand a quick affair, allowing you to quickly dock your iPad where you need to.

Pros

Saidoka:

• Comfortable angle for handling alerts and texts
• Good size for existing work space
• Can charge and sync your iPhone while docked

Mika:

• Blends in with any Apple-centric workspace
• Can be used with any iPads, tablets, and even laptops
• Lightweight, yet durable

Cons

Saidoka:

• High price for limited functionality
• Won't work with many iPhone cases
• Poor acoustics

Mika:

• Fixed angle, but that's the point

The Verdict

If you're on the lookout for a nice iPhone dock, it may be better to pass on the Saidoka. While it's good at what it does, it may be tough to justify the price, especially when you have to take your phone out of its case to use it.

On the other hand, the Mika is a great stand that does its one job beautifully—both literally and figuratively. Its price may be a bit high for a fixed-angle stand, but you'll be hard-pressed to find a more elegant stand for your iPad.

For more information on the Saidoka and Mika, visit Bluelounge's website.

Thanks to everyone who entered iPhone Life's Biweekly Weekend Giveaway! We received entries from 393 people in 24 different countries this week! WOW! And are giving away 3 amazing accessories!

And the winners are... (drum roll please):

Robert Guezuraga, Clem Duchesne, and Carlos Elston. 

If you see your name but didn't receive an email, please check your spam folder.

Didn't Win This Week? No worries! Visit iphonelife.com/giveaways for the chance to win in the next giveaway round.

This weeks featured items are:

1. Wood S Series Case in Ebony for iPhone 5/5s: Retail Price $39.95

This Apple Store exclusive is made of multi-layers of real wood veneer infused with DuPont™ Kevlar® outer shell protection, 0.9mm thin, lightweight case with scratch-resistant coating.

2. Otterbox Defender Series iPad Case: 

The Defender Series iPad case employs multi-layer technology built with high-quality materials to create a rock-solid protective solution. The inner shell of the iPad case is composed of high-impact polycarbonate and includes a foam interior that delivers added shock absorption and protects the back of your iPad from scratches. The rugged silicone outer-layer absorbs impact from bumps and shocks while the textured exterior provides enhanced grip. The built-in screen protector prevents scratches, smudges, and fingerprints from getting on your screen. The integrated shield stand acts as a protective cover on the front or the back and doubles as a kickstand for typing or viewing. Get protection that inspires confidence with the Defender Series iPad case from OtterBox.

3. Zmart Universal Remote (2 count): Retail Price $19.99

The Zmart Remote fits into the jack of your iOS and Android Devices and setup takes less than a minute. Whether you are trying to choose which TV show to watch, need to pause the movie to pop some popcorn, or want to skip to your favorite song on a CD, you can now do all of this with your smartphone. Zmart is the world's SMALLEST UNIVERSAL REMOTE CONTROL. It allows you to control a combination of more than 200,000 devices (95 percent of brands on the market). For those hard to find brands or devices, the Zmart Remote has a Learn-In Command that allows your phone to learn the functions of your existing remote. This makes it the MOST POWERFUL and EASIEST TO USE universal remote ever. 

Questions or comments? Email Brian@iphonelife.com. Good luck and remember to visit iphonelife.com/giveaways to enter! Also check out our other contests at iphonelife.com/contests. The next contest drawing is December 16th!

We have many months to go before a new iPhone launches, and already there are rumors aplenty, a number of which I've reported here. Minyanville has helpfully collected the rumors to date in a single post. The most frequent rumor may be that the iPhone 6 will have a larger screen, with sources saying that Apple is testing iPhones with 4.7-, 4.9-, and 5.5-inch displays. I think it's likely we'll see a larger iPhone next year. All the other rumors seem to have less credibility but aren't without substance. It's been rumored that the iPhone will have a curved display, perhaps similar to the picture of the Samsung Galaxy Round that accompanies this post. See my earlier post for more detail on why such a display may be useful. 

Several rumors reported by Minyanville relate to Apple's purchase of PrimeSense, a company that developed the gesture-recognition technology used in devices such as Microsoft's Kinect. Apple must have something in mind, given that they plunked down hundreds of millions of dollars for this company. But what and when? My impression is that it typically takes them a bit more time to integrate technology they purchase into their product line and that it won't be ready for the iPhone 6. Minyanville suggests Apple could use PrimeSense's technology for features such as facial recognition, page scrolling based on eye movement, and creating a 3-D perspective into the screen by sensing eye placement.

Like other commentators, they also suggest the PrimeSense technology will help make Siri more intelligent by giving it eyes such that it can recognize a user and spatial placement. But even more interesting, they say Apple could use this technology to make a plenoptic camera, which lets you adjust the focal point in a photo AFTER you've taken the photo.

Minyanville also speculates on the implications of Apple's investment of $578 million in a company that manufactures sapphire glass. This material is already used in TouchID because it's impossible to scratch. It's possible Apple will use this new technology for the iPhone's display. Imagine a material even tougher than Gorilla Glass. However, this new technology is reportedly four times more expensive, and apparently Apple's investment was intended to help the company hurry up and develop their production processes to bring down the cost. As you can see, the idea of a sapphire glass display is appealing, but hardly ready for prime time.

The post on Minyanville also speculates that TouchID will be improved and that we'll see the iPhone 6 in the summer rather than the fall.

Humans use only 10 percent of their brains. Actually, that's a myth, but it's probably not a myth that many of us utilize only about 10 percent of our iPhone's capabilities. In this weekly column I share tips and tricks for beginners, or anyone who wants to make use of the other 90 percent of their iPhone's abilities. This week, I'm going to give you some tips for saving battery life.

1. Turn Off Raise to Speak Feature

Siri can use precious battery even when she/he is not searching for a command from you. There is a Raise to Speak feature that automatically launches Siri when you raise and hold your phone to your ear. To turn this feature off go to Settings > General > Siri > Raise to Speak and toggle off. And, if you don't use Siri at all, go ahead and turn it off as well.

2. Disable Auto-Brightness

I've never been fond of the Auto-Brightness feature on my iPhone. The screen never turns out to be as bright or as dim as I would like. To turn off Auto-Brightness go to Settings > Wallpapers & Brightness and toggle off. For extra savings, always make the screen as dim as you can handle. When you need it brighter outside in the sun, just drag Control Center up on your screen and adjust brightness from there.

3. Turn off AirDrop

The new AirDrop feature constantly searches for something to connect with. To turn it off when not using it, swipe up your Control Center, tap on AirDrop ,and toggle off. Note: AirDrop is not available on iPhone 4/4S.

4. Turn off Wi-Fi & Bluetooth

I took a road trip recently that had me crossing through the Navajo Nation. Not a Wi-Fi signal to be found. To keep my phone from searching…, searching…, searching… for Wi-Fi, I toggled it off by swiping up Control Center and tapping the Wi-Fi symbol off. This can also be turned off in Settings.

Bluetooth is another feature that persistently looks for another device to connect with. Turn it off same as Wi-Fi by using Control Center or Settings.

5. Turn Off Parallax

If Parallax hasn't made you too dizzy and you are enjoying it, you might consider stopping it to save battery life. To do this go to Settings > General > Accessibility > Reduce Motion. Toggle on to turn Parallax off.

Extra Tip:

If you'd like to see how much battery life is left with a percentage number instead of just a bar level in your battery symbol located on the top right corner of your iDevice, go to Settings > General > Usage, and toggle Battery Percentage on. 

These days there is a seemingly endless array of excellent quality Bluetooth speakers. However, out of the multitudes of Bluetooth speakers on the market, only a limited and select few can lay claim to being rugged and heavy duty. What follows are the cream of the crop of ultra-durable, shock-proof, and waterproof speakers. Read on to find the best rugged Bluetooth speakers for those who are adventurous or accident prone, or those who are looking for the perfect speaker for someone who can be really hard on their gear.

Criteria to be considered for Best Rugged Bluetooth Speaker of 2013:

1. Water and drop resistance. These rugged speakers must, at bare minimum, be splash proof and able to withstand drops of six feet or more without performance damage. Every speaker featured here has a minimum of an IP-X4 water-resistance rating, if not higher.

2. Sound Quality. The speakers featured here must all be capable of delivering high-quality audio on a consistent basis, without much distortion at high volume.

3. Portability. All of the Bluetooth speakers included in the roundup must be small enough for you to be able to conveniently carry around, either clipped on to a belt loop or backpack, or thrown into a purse or carryall without weighing you down.

4. Functionality. The more control functionality a speaker has, the better. In other words, a speaker that allows you to control song playback and/or answer calls, and/or use Siri,  as well as basic volume control, will typically rank higher in my ratings.

Only Bluetooth speakers that I have personally reviewed with some hands-on time (either because the company sent me a sample unit to review for iPhone Life or because I got to play around with it at a tech event such as CES) are included in my roundup, so you can rest assured, my ratings come from direct experience.

1.Grace Digital’s ECOROX ($129.99)

The ECOROX by Grace Digital edged out the competition this year to take the spot of Best Rugged Bluetooth Speaker of 2013. With it's rugged fabrication, grippy exterior, loud and crisp sound, extremely compact and portable size, and it's ability to withstand repeated submersions, the ECOROX shines in every category that a rugged Bluetooth speaker can shine in. Heck, it even floats so you don't have to worry as much about loosing it if it should fall into the drink.

The ECOROX incorporates full functionality into its design, the speaker allows you to control volume, song selection, and even answer calls with its noise-reducing built in mic. It's rare that I come across a Bluetooth speaker with no shortcomings, but if ever there were one, the ECOROX would certainly be it.

2.Ultimate Ears BOOM ($199.99)

The BOOM has the best sound in a rugged and highly durable speaker by far! In fact, it was a close call for the number one position this year. The BOOM would have secured the top spot if not for the fact that the above-mentioned ECOROX is so impervious to the elements, especially water. If having the best sounding, highly portable Bluetooth speaker—one that comes packed with a ton of useful features—is more important to you than having the absolute most rugged Bluetooth speaker, one that can actually be submerged, float, etc. (the BOOM is water resistant, but not nearly to the same degree as the ECOROX), then the BOOM may rank as your top contender.

The BOOM’s sound has to be heard to be believed. It’s absolutely amazing, and  as if that wasn't enough, you can get an official BOOM app in the App Store that will open up a whole new world of Bluetooth speaker control. With the app, you can set the speaker to serve as an alarm clock to wake you up, you can monitor the battery levels, and perhaps neatest of all, you can pair two speakers to the same iDevice wirelessly for full and powerful stereo hi-fidelity. That's quite a unique feature, and very awesome!

If only it allowed users to control playback functionality from the speaker itself, like so many other Bluetooth speakers do. I've spoken directly with the folks who make the BOOM speaker about this particular gripe of mine so I'm hoping that the next iteration of this excellent speaker will include more song-playback control capability.

To say that the BOOM has outstanding audio quality would be an understatement. It's quite impressive, to hear the thunderous sound that emanates from the BOOM. Internally the BOOM incorporates multi-directional speakers to give a sense of immersion in the audio broadcast unlike anything I've experienced before. This speaker would be a sure-fire hit for anyone on your holiday shipping list and is the first runner-up for Best Rugged Bluetooth Speaker of 2013.

3.Braven BRV-1 ($149.99)

The BRV-1  is a heavy-duty powerhouse of a speaker, a mini boombox with the capacity to fill a living room, campsite, or office with clear and bold sound. The BRV-1 is waterproof, drop proof, and dirt proof and it sounds great. It's the complete package when it comes to a truly durable and rugged Bluetooth personal speaker.

The BRV-1 takes second runner up this year, for Best Rugged Bluetooth Speaker. There aren't many environments or situations where I would hesitate to carry the BRV- along with me. It's light and compact, easy enough to toss into a pack for whatever adventure you can imagine, and powerful enough to provide you with a customized soundtrack on your journeys, wherever the road may take you.

4.Outdoor Technology Buckshot ($49.95)

The Buckshot is one of my favorite ruggedly designed, miniature-sized Bluetooth speakers, and it manages to hold its own quite well in challenging environments. What I appreciate most about the Buckshot is its size and portability; and for its diminutive stature, it certainly belts out a mighty sound!

The Buckshot is about the size of a roll of quarters with its speaker on one end of the cylinder and it's controls on the other. While I wouldn't necessarily try submerging the Buckshot, it is rated to be able to withstand splashes and exposure to dirt and mud. I've hiked many a mile with the Buckshot clipped to my waist and it is indeed an awesome adventurer’s companion.

5.Eton Rukus ($99.95) 

This solar-panel equipped Bluetooth speaker is especially noteworthy for several reasons. First off, it's the only model on this list that features a built-in solar panel; so not only is the Rukus capable of recharging its own internal battery, it also has a USB port that allows you to plug your iDevice into it and charge that as well.

While the Rukus may not be the smallest or most stylish design, it more than makes up for that with a speaker that not only sounds excellent, but could also be included on many backpacker's outdoor survival-gear lists. With the Rugged Rukus, keeping the audio playing and keeping your mobile device’s batteries topped off is all par for the course, making this a true asset in the field and an adventurer’s dream come true.

6. Boom Movement Swimmer ($59.99)

The only Bluetooth speaker I know of that can boast of being able to withstand complete submersion for half an hour, the Swimmer certainly lives up to its name! It's unique and inventive design has a wonderfully satiny feel to it, and its grippy texture makes it perfect for keeping a secure hold on it when wet. The Swimmer has an odd but extremely practical design; the "tail" of the speaker is highly flexible, and as you can see from the above picture, you can position it in all kinds of useful and creative ways. The Swimmer's suction-cup attachment is also a nice bonus as it allows the more domesticated of us to simply stick it on to the shower wall for some awesome shower-time sing-alongs. For its size the Swimmer has a great sound, capable of filling your personal space with clear and crisp tunes for over eight hours on one charge when at maximum volume, and up to 16 hours at half volume.

8.BOOMBOTIX REX ($119.99 Standard model/$129.99 Limited-edition model)

The REX by BOOMBOTIX is a super portable, great-sounding rugged Bluetooth speaker, especially for its size. In its tiny shell, the REX has two small but powerful speaker drivers as well as a passive bass radiator. Together they pump out a robust sound that will definitely fill your personal space with high-quality sound. The REX features a smooth, rubberized exterior with flexible rubber flaps over its ports. The REX also allows you to connect multiple REX units in series, aka "Daisy Chain" and  has the relatively unique feature of allowing users to interact with Siri by holding down the speaker's central control button. With its rugged and lightweight build, funky design options, and built in, sturdy belt clip, the REX is an excellent option for the young and the young at heart, and just about any adventures on-the-go that you can imagine.

9.NUU Splash$99.99

NUU’s Splash is a deceptively rugged, and very stylish Bluetooth speaker. It sports a shiny metallic enclosure with touch controls along its topside. While the Splash may have the outward appearance of a Bluetooth speaker that is more fashion conscious than it is rugged, don't let its looks fool you. The Splash is indeed a very rugged, waterproof speaker.

While it may not be enveloped in shock absorbing rubber like so many other rugged Bluetooth speakers, my personal take on the matter is that for most intents and purposes, the speakers aluminum shell is plenty durable and capable of withstanding drops from up to six feet without sustaining any internal damage. If you are on the hunt for a durable, rugged, and portable Bluetooth speaker that doesn't look like it was designed to be used in the military or by popular survivalist Bear Grylls, be sure to give the Splash a close look.

10.HMDX Jam XT$59.99

The Jam XT is a shock-proof, water-resistant Bluetooth speaker that comes in a thoughtfully designed, easy to grasp, exterior shell. The Jam XT has a silicon skin around its body, providing plenty of grippy traction. It even has a built-in carabiner making it easy to clip on to your belt or pack. The control buttons are conveniently located and its sound is pretty impressive. With the Jam XT the party becomes portable, whether you are technical climbing, hiking in the forest, or just chilling with your iDevice on the front porch.

11.Blue Flame Slingshot $99.99

Rounding out the list for the Best Bluetooth speakers of the year is the Blue Flame Slingshot. This waterproof speaker is perfect for the shower/bathroom where it can hang by its unique and flexible rubber sling, but you'll find it's also a great option for a portable speaker that you can throw in your purse or backpack for outings to the ocean or sitting poolside. With four speaker drivers built in, the Slingshot doesn't lack powerful sound and will be loud enough to provide you with music on your family picnic or music to sing along with as you shower and prepare for your day. The Slingshot comes in two versions, one powered by AA batteries for $79.99 and the other with a built-in Li-Ion rechargeable battery for $20.00 more. I would definitely suggest getting the model with a rechargeable battery in it, as you'll save money  by not having to replace batteries all the time, which can add up quickly.

Hopefully this roundup of the Best Rugged Bluetooth Speakers of 2013 will help you find the perfect extreme-duty personal Bluetooth speaker for anyone on your holiday shopping list. Definitely a fantastic gift to help keep the party going, whether in the city or in the great outdoors.

As the holidays loom and people get started on their shopping, iPhones and iPads will be at the top of many gift lists. But if you're an AT&T customer you may have concerns because of the telecommunication giant's issues with data plans. As AT&T customers (including myself) can attest, being an iOS device user under AT&T can be somewhat tricky to navigate depending on your usage. But the company's newest plans may sway some consumers to their side.

On October 25, AT&T rolled out their anticipated new "Mobile Share" plans. These plans, announced last July, are available for new customers primarily. At last report, previous customers could opt-in if they chose. The monthly plan choices are $50 per month for one smartphone plus $20 for 300 MB, $40 for 1GB, $70 for 4GB, $90 for 6GB, $120 for 10GB, $160 for 15GB, and $500 for 50GB. The cost of the phone goes down as the amount of data goes up. Additional smartphones will add an extra five bucks to each tier. For those who want to add a tablet/gaming device, you're adding an extra $10 to the cost. Laptops and netbooks are an extra $20. Members can add up to ten devices on one plan. There is also a mobile share plan for data-only devices starting at $30 for 4GB.

AT&T has stated that they've gotten a lot of positive feedback about the Mobile Share plan. It would seem only right for them to take it as a good sign. Data usage in conjunction with Apple products has been an issue with them of late, with "unlimited" data now being throttled without advance notice. In a recently settled class action lawsuit, AT&T and Apple were ordered to pay $40 each to those who had bought 3G iPads and found their unlimited data taken away abruptly. A situation like that tends to make consumers more leery when purchasing. Another factor to consider is competition. AT&T was created this plan in response to Verizon's initial "Share Everything" plan in 2012. The response to Verizon's plan wasn't favorable overall because customers were locked into certain parts of the plan if they upgraded. There is a good amount of flexibility to be had with AT&T's plan, especially when you consider their latest announcement of a plan that gives you 250MB of data for $5 and the already enacted DataConnect monthly plan.

What has to be taken into account is that the Mobile Share plan was created to meet the growing need for better data availability in the U.S. among families and businesses. For individuals, the plan could end up being too expensive. Recently, I was out of town without much access to Wi-Fi. I'm on a shared plan and I don't normally get crazy on my iPhone with apps. But between Facebook and Twitter updates and responses to friends, I found myself using about 198 MB in four days. For those on the 300 MB plan, it's murder. You also can't overlook the fact that in these rough economic times folks will lean toward not having to shell out so much money monthly. But the tiers gives them a flexibility that is for the time being unmatched. Time will tell if AT&T's move will win the more customers or if it's another bad turkey to deal with as the holidays get going.

Many iPad apps, especially office-style apps, are just desktop apps repurposed for the smaller screen. Tap & Edit (free) is different. It's a text entry and formatting app that incorporates gestures as an integral part of the app.

For example, a long double tap with two fingers selects a paragraph. Then you can make pinch and zoom style gestures to decrease and increase the font size. You can rotate the actual text using the same gestures typically used for rotating photos in other apps.

This presents a conundrum. It's great to be able to create stylish documents without resorting to a desktop computer. But how do you get those documents to other computers when you're done?

Fortunately, Tap & Edit lets you browse nearby devices and share via Wi-Fi, Dropbox, or email (HTML or PDF). I only wish I could upload directly to my blogging platform, but that is probably more of a limitation of blogging platforms, as they wouldn't know what to do with rotated text!

Three cool titles helped me to overcome a triptophan and carb coma this past week. One of them was an actual zombie-style turkey shoot called Gunner Z (free with many IAPs). The second was a free tunnel race called Boost 2 ($1.99). Finally a platform defense hybrid called Forces of Nature ($0.99). All three made for a delicious gobble weekend of time killing fun!

Gunner Z is a 3D zombie kill game that is near perfection. Excellent graphics and sounds that were a touch laggy in spots on the iPad mini, but with some very fun twists to the aim-and-kill genre. Gunner bugs you too much about upgrades (and acts really slow and wonky if you aren't connected to the internet), but it is a freemium effort. Buying a handful of gold BX for 99 pennies is worth it to shut up the ads. The latest update adds actual zombie turkeys to shoot at...Very apropos for Thanksgiving!

Up next is the simplest and likely most addicting tunnel race (really just racing by yourself) game you will find on the App Store. Boost 2 is free; and though the concept is simple (fly through endless twisty courses avoiding obstacles), it never seems to get boring, just faster, as you run across boost powerups that send you hurtling at double speed. Get 2000 points in a run to unlock survival mode (or just buy it through IAP). Multiplayer is now also supported!

Finally we have Forces of Nature, a sort of hybrid platform defense game where you use your sprout and his deployed pod creatures to defend against advancing robot destroyers that want to kill your home tree. The game utilizes cute yet kid-friendly visuals of plants chomping or zapping robots, and vice versa. It's fun and kind of goofy at the same time. the first version kept crashing, but it was fixed with a recent patch.

Check out these great titles at the links above, and don't forget to check in regularly at iPhone Life for the best news, reviews, and tips and tricks this holiday season!

A new project on Kickstarter is aiming to turn your iPhone into a motion-controlled musical instrument. The AUUG Motion Synth uses an attachment to play harmonies and alters the sound based on your movements.

With the AUUG grip, your iOS device can be secured to your hand and communicates with the app to collect data. When the grip is in position, you are able to play notes on the screen and move your device simultaneously.

Once motion sensor data is collected, it is then converted into sound by the AUUG app, for use on other audio apps. Although the AUUG app doesn't actually produce sounds, it can be used primarily for setting up presets or saving selected sounds.

Four windows are included in the app to determine musical options and other configurations. The Performance and Notes windows are used for choosing musical scales, while the Motion and Presets windows provide motion-to-sound translation algorithms and preset options.

In addition to sound apps like Garageband, the AUUG app can also be used with hardware synths or vocal harmonizers as well as software on a laptop. Other apps that feature both background audio and virtual MIDI capabilities include Magellan Jr. ($4.99), Audiobus ($4.99), and Alchemy Synth Mobile (Free).

The AUUG cloud will also be available for users to share presets with others in the community. An online forum, product support, user guides, and video tutorials will be included on www.auug.com as well.

The AUUG Motion Synth is expected to be released in April if it reaches its $70,000 goal. It is compatible with iPhone 4S, 5, 5s, 5c or the 5th generation iPod and will start at $68.

ADS-445 SwannEye HD Pan & Tilt All-in-One IP Network Camera ( $179.99)

4 out of 5 stars

One of the things I love the most about technology is how rapidly it evolves. What once cost thousands of dollars to purchase and required trained professionals to implement and use can become a commonplace commodity in a short matter of years. Such is the case with remote security cameras. One company that has thrived through these technology shifts is Swann, and their latest camera, the SwannEye HD, embodies the latest technological innovations while keeping the price affordable for anyone interested in visually monitoring security remotely. Let’s take a closer look at what the SwannEye HD has to offer.

The SwannEye HD camera can be seated on a table or affixed to a wall or ceiling via the included mounting bracket. This provides the SwannEye HD with a great deal of flexibility, allowing you to use the camera in multiple security scenarios and experiment with locating the perfect position in which to operate it. 

The camera also features infrared vision that can make the darkest room light up with a high degree of clarity, perfect for monitoring sleeping babies or scanning a room for any disturbances in the middle of the night. And given the fact that it can swivel horizontally up to 350 degrees and tilt vertically up to 100 degrees, the field of view provides excellent coverage any area being monitored. It also has both a speaker and microphone, offering two-way audio communication between the camera and the computer or iPhone remotely controlling the camera.

The SwannEye HD camera accepts standard SD Cards to record continuously, or for events triggered by motion. You can also receive alarm notifications via email when motion has been detected, and interrogate the camera’s recordings when you connect to it.

Full-featured clients run on Mac, Windows, iOS and Android, and all look and function identically. Using the free SwannEye HD app on an iPhone or iPad is easy thanks to the program’s intuitive user interface. Swipe up or down, left or right to swivel the camera in that direction. Select the camera, video, microphone, or speaker icon to take a photo, playback of a recording, turn the camera’s microphone or speaker on or off accordingly. You can also switch between 720P (1280x720), VGA (640x480) or QVGA (320x240) video viewing modes depending on your bandwidth constraints. You can also record video and take photos via the SwannEye HD app, which saves it to the iPhone’s photo gallery.

Everything works intuitively, from installing and configuring the camera to using the controls on both the iPhone and computer (the free SwannEye HD app can be installed on a Mac via the Mac App Store, and the Windows version can be installed either from the included CD-ROM or via download from Swann’s website). The only problem I encountered was an occasional lag or rare disconnect when swiping up or down too quickly for the camera to keep up with my demands. The SwannEye HD app is also not the most beautiful iOS program available in the App Store, but it’s functional nonetheless.

I love my iPhone 5s, and I love the Touch ID feature. So naturally, I want to protect the phone. That means using a rugged case, but most rugged cases, like the OtterBox for example, completely enclose the iPhone's home button, rendering the Touch ID sensor useless.

Enter Pelican's CE1150 Protector Series. I've been a fan of Pelican's laptop and tablet cases, but didn't realize they had a case for the iPhone until now, when I had a chance to try one out. Their CE1150 Protector Seriesis perfect for the iPhone 5s because it provides lots of coverage, but does not interfere with the Touch ID sensor. The two-piece design snaps in place and adds very little bulk. 

The case comes in assorted color combinations, from all black or all white to more interesting combinations like blue and white or gray and safety orange. I found the appearance quite appealing.

The rigid polymer and rubbery provide protection and a good grip. While many of Pelican"s products are waterproof, this one is not, despite the nautical looks. But The Pelican CE1150 should protect your iPhone, while leaving the fingerprint reader available for action!

Teens are difficult to buy for, but a teen with an iDevice gives us lots of options! Cases, external battery packs, and other fun device accessories are giving parents and relatives plenty of options this holiday season in all price ranges. 

1. Incipio DualPro iPhone Case (starting at $29.99) 

This thin protective case is made from a silicone inner shell and Plextonium outer case. It's one of the sleekest protective cases I've used, which makes it perfect for teens. The DualPro case has a soft front bumper that protects your screen from face-down drops, but doesn't get in the way of screen swiping like some do. 

2. #TheSelfie Remote Shutter Release ($19.95)

This device makes it easier for teens to take popular "selfie" images (images of themselves) from a distance longer than arms length. #TheSelfie is great for taking pictures of large groups of friends as well!  

3. Olloclip lens for iPhone (starting at $69.99) 

The Olloclip is an external iPhone camera lens that has fish-eye, macro, and wide-angle options. The lens fits snugly onto your iPhone and allows for easy and unique picture-taking. Budding photographers will love the flexibility and options this lens gives them!

4. Rukus XL Solar Stereo ($199.99)

If your teen is a music lover like mine is, they'll love this solar powered boom box! This stereo is user friendly; and at 22 watts, your teen will want to turn it up loud and show off to their friends.  The solar aspect makes this a teen favorite—even if they didn't think ahead and charge their stereo, they can still listen to it outside. 

The Rukus XL has a USB port compartment up front to charge the phone as well as protect it from the elements. The stereo easily connects through Bluetooth to access your teen's favorite playlists. When the Rukus XL is fully charged, it will run off the battery for up to eight hours.

5. BoostSolar Charger ($99.99)

Another great teen-friendly product from Eton's product line is the BoostSolar external device charger. Let's face it, teens are forgetful! Having this solar charger available as a backup phone charger is priceless–especially when parents are waiting for phone calls. This 5000mAh charger powered my teen's iPhone 5 twice before needing a recharge. The rugged splash-proof BoostSolar has built-in fastener loops to easily attach it to a duffel bag or backpack. 

6. Sync by 50 Wireless Headphones ($229.95)

Another option for your "big gift" this year are these wireless on-ear headphones from from SMS Audio. Sync by 50 contains onboard mic and controls as well as tuned 40MM drivers—the sound from these headphones is amazing. The headphones have a range of 35 feet and have passive noise cancelation. 

Sync by 50 headphones are sturdy enough for just about anything your teen throws at them. They also fold nicely and come with a hard carrying case to protect them in backpacks or duffel bags.  

These are my top gifts for your iDevice-loving teen this year. What can you add to the list?

Do you have an idea for an app but lack the programming knowledge to begin building it? In this weekly blog series, I will take you, the non-programmer, step by step through the process of creating apps for the iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad. Join me each week on this adventure and you will experience how much fun turning your ideas into reality can be! This is part 32 of the series. If  you are just getting started, check out the beginning of the series here.

in this week's post, I'm going to break down the process of installing and running an app on a real iOS device (rather than the Simulator). Even if you think you know everything there is to know about this process, things have changed a bit under Xcode 5, so I recommend you read on!

Why Run Your App on a Real iOS Device?

All the work we have done in this series so far has been in Xcode's iOS Simulator. As powerful as the Simulator is, there are still a number of  things you can't do, such as take a picture, make a phone call, check for a cell signal, and so on. You need to run your app on an iOS device to test these parts of your app.

Ultimately, even if the Simulator did everything you needed it to do, it's still imperative that you test your apps on a real iOS device. There are two main reasons for this:

1. The Simulator is much faster than a real iOS device.
2. The Simulator is forgiving.

The Simulator runs on your Mac, which has far more processing power and resources than an actual iOS device. You really won't be able to see how fast (or slow) your app runs until you run it on an iOS device.

In addition, the Simulator is forgiving. For example, it can locate files that you may not have bundled properly into your app. You won't know this until you try to run your app on an iOS device. According to Apple, one of the biggest reasons apps are rejected is because they crash as soon as you are run. This tells us that these developers didn't run the app on a real device, otherwise they would have found the crash themselves.

Joining an iOS Developer Program

Your first step in getting your app to run on a real iOS device is to join one of Apple's iOS Developer Programs. This is different from being a Registered Apple Developer, which is free, and allows you to download and install Xcode.

When you join an iOS Developer Program, you pay an annual fee (starting at $99). Why does Apple charge a fee? It helps separate those who are serious about app development from those who are not. This fee is extremely low when you think about the fact that Xcode and the iOS Simulators are completely free. For your annual fee, you can submit as many apps as you like to the App Store and Apple's QA team puts your apps through its paces looking for bugs and crashes, making sure you have developed a high-quality app. Your annual fee also gives you access to beta versions of iOS and Xcode. This allows you to get your hands on an early copy, enhance your apps, and get them ready for the App Store when Apple officially releases the new version of iOS to the general public. You also get access full access to the Member Center and iTunes Connect where you can manage your apps.

As shown in the high-level overview in Figure 1, you can enroll in an iOS Developer Program as an Individual or a Company. 

Figure 1 - You can enroll in an iOS Developer Program as an individual or a company.

If you sign up as an individual, you are considered a one-person team. If you enroll as a company, you can add other persons to your team. In either case, all team members must be Registered Apple Developers (members of the free program). Registered Apple Developers have an Apple ID that identifies a specific person associated with a unique email address. As shown in Figure 1, you can use your Apple ID to join multiple teams. However, an Apple ID can only be associated with a singles iTunes Connect team. So, developers should create another Apple ID for different individual or company accounts that they want to manage separately in iTunes Connect.

You can join an Apple Developer program directly in Xcode 5. Here are the steps:

1. From the Xcode menu, select Xcode > Preferences.

2. At the top of the Preferences window, click Accounts.

3. At the bottom-left corner of the window, click the Add button (+), and select Add Apple ID... as shown in Figure 2.

Figure 2 - Adding an Apple ID

4. This displays a dialog the dialog shown in Figure 3. Click the Join a Program... button.

Figure 3 - Joining an Apple Developer Program

5. This launches the Apple Development Programs enrollment web page (Figure 4) in your default browser. Follow the instructions to enroll in one of the Apple Developer programs.

Figure 4 - Apple's Developer Programs enrollment web page

Your Unique Team ID

Whether you are a one-person team or company team, Apple assigns your team a unique 10-character Team ID. You can find your Team ID through the online Member Center.

1. In your browser, navigate to the iOS Dev Center.

2. At the top of the iOS Dev Center page, click the Member Center link.

3. At the top of the Member Center page, click the Your Account toolbar button.

4. Your Team ID appears in the Developer Account Summary (Figure 5).

Figure 5 - Finding your Team ID

Understanding Code Signing

Unfortunately, the world has more than its fair share of miscreants who would love nothing more than to hijack your app, modify it with evil intent, and redistribute it without your knowledge.

To prevent this from happening, Apple has implemented a security model that involves code signing your app. Code signing is the process of generating a cryptographic hash—a fixed-size bit string—from the contents of your app. This occurs when you build your app in Xcode. If anyone subsequently tries to change the contents of the app file, it will no longer match the cryptographic hash and iOS will refuse to run it.

Code signing also involves stamping your app with a certificate issued by Apple so your users can be sure the app is from a known source.

Apple Signing Certificates

Once you have registered in an iOS Developer Program, you can request a signing certificate from Apple that allows you to code sign your apps. There are two main types of signing certificates:

1. Development Certificate - Allows you to sign your apps so you can test them on an iOS device.
2. Distribution Certificate - Allows you to sign your apps so you can submit them to the App Store.

Note that any team member can request a development certificate, but only a team agent or admin can request a distribution certificate.

When you request a signing certificate from Apple, two copies of the certificate are generated—one that Apple keeps with your developer account and a second certificate that is stored on your development machine in your keychain (Figure 6).

Figure 6 - Two copies of a certificate are generated.

When the signing certificate is generated, Apple issues you a set of keys—one public key and one private key. These two keys comprise your signing identity. The signing certificate, stored in your keychain, contains your public key and identifies you as the owner of the key pair. The private key is also stored in your keychain and is used to generate the cryptographic hash. When you install Xcode on your development machine, an intermediate certificate is stored in your keychain to ensure that your certificate is issued by a certificate authority. 

When you build your app, Xcode uses your signing identity to sign your app with the identity from your public key and a cryptographic hash generated from the private key as shown in Figure 7.

Figure 7 - Signing your app at build time

Requesting a Development Signing Certificate

In the past, requesting a certificate from Apple and installing it on your development machine was a real hassle. The process was fraught with disaster and could take several hours. Fortunately, Xcode 5 greatly simplifies the process.

The easiest way to request a development signing certificate is by launching Xcode and connecting an iOS device to your development machine.

1. If it's not already open, launch Xcode.

2. Connect the iOS device on which you want to install your app to your development machine using a USB cable. 

3. After a few moments, you should see iOS Device appear as one of the options in the Scheme control (Figure 8).

Figure 8 - The iOS Device appears in the Scheme control.

If you select the iOS Device option and then click the Run button, you will see the error dialog shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9 - Cannot run using the selected device

This message is a bit misleading because it sounds like the iOS device I connected doesn't have the latest version of iOS installed (it does). What it's really telling me is that the iOS device has not been set up, or provisioned, as a development device.

4. The easiest way to fix this problem is through Xcode's Organizer window. From the Xcode menu, select Window > Organizer. 

5. In the list on the left side of the Organizer, select the iOS device you just connected to your development machine, and then click the Use for Development button (Figure 10).

Figure 10 - Selecting to use a device for development

6. If you don't have a developer account specified on your development machine yet, you will see the error dialog shown in Figure 11. If you haven't joined a developer program yet, click the Join a Program... button and follow the steps outlined there. If you have joined a developer program, click the Add... button to add your Apple ID.

Figure 11 - Join a program or add an Apple ID.

7. When the next dialog appears, enter your Apple ID and Password, and then click the Add button (Figure 12).

Figure 12 - Enter an Apple ID

8. When the next dialog appears, place a check mark next to the development team you want to use for provisioning and then click the Choose button (Figure 13).

Figure 13 - Select a development team.

9. After several seconds you will be returned to the Organizer window and you should see a green light next to your iOS device (Figure 14).

Figure 14 - A green light appears next to the device.

10. If you now press Xcode's Run button, you will see the "No matching code signing identity' error message in the Project Editor shown in Figure 15. That's because we still don't have a development signing certificate on our development machine. 

Figure 15 - The No matching code signing identity found warning message

15. To fix this problem click the Fix Issue button (Figure 15).

16. In the next dialog that appears, select the Development Team you want to use for provisioning and click the Choose button (Figure 16).

Figure 16 - Select a development team.

17. Next, a dialog with the warning No code signing identity found appears. Click the Fix Issue button (Figure 17).

Figure 17 - No code signing identity found

18. Now a dialog appears with a spinning activity indicator and a message that states Resolving code signing issues... (Figure 18).

Figure 18 - Xcode is resolving the code signing issues.

19. Next, a dialog appears asking to use a key in your keychain. Click the Allow button (Figure 19).

Figure 19 - Allow codesign to use your keychain

20. When control returns to Xcode, go to the menu and select Xcode > Preferences. Click the Accounts button at the top of the dialog, and then click the View Details... button. At the top of the dialog you should see the new certificate n the Signing Identities list (Figure 20).

Figure 20 - The signing identity has been added.

21. At this point, make sure your iOS device is selected in the Scheme control at the top of the Xcode window, and then click the Run button. Your app should now be installed and run on your iOS device!

Requesting a Distribution Signing Certificate

When you're ready to submit your app to the App Store, you are going to need a distribution signing certificate. Here are the steps you need to take to request and install this certificate on your development machine.

1. Open the Xcode Preferences window by selecting Xcode > Preferences from the menu.

2. At the top of the Xcode Preferences window, select the Accounts button.

3. In the list on the left, select the team you want to use, and then click the View Details... button.

4. A dialog appears listing any signing identities you already have. To request a new signing certificate, click the Add (+) button below the Signing Identities list and select the iOS Distribution certificate (Figure 21).

Figure 21 - Adding a Distribution Signing Certificate

5. While the signing certificate is being generated, an activity indicator displays at the bottom-left corner of the dialog. When generation is complete, you will see the Signing Identity Generated alert shown in Figure 22.

Figure 22 - The Signing Identity has been generated!

6. Click the OK button to close the dialog and you will see the new signing identity listed in the Signing Identities list (Figure 23).

Figure 23 - The new signing identity has been added to the list!

Now that this process is complete, you should be able to see the new certificate in the Member Center area of the iOS Dev Center web site. To do this:

1. In your web browser, navigate to the iOS Dev Center.

2. At the top of the web page, select Member Center.

3. In the toolbar at the top of the Member Center page under Developer Program Resources, click the Certificates, Identifiers & Profiles link (Figure 24).

Figure 24 - Click the Certificates, Identifiers, and Profiles link.

3. In the Certficiates, Identifiers, and Profiles page, click the Certificates link (Figure 25).

Figure 25 - Select the Certificates link.

With the All option selected on the left side of the page, you should see all of your certificates in the list on the right (Figure 26).

Figure 26 - Your list of certificates in the Member Center

Provisioning Files

After going through the steps in the previous section, Xcode creates a team provisioning profile which can be viewed in the Organizer window by clicking on the Provisioning Profiles node in the left pane of the Organizer as shown in Figure 27.

Figure 27 - Your team provisioning files can be viewed in the Organizer window.

A team provisioning file is a development provisioning file that Xcode manages for you. It allows your app to run iOS devices and use specific technologies during development. A team provisioning file contains:

• A wildcard App ID that matches all of your team's apps, OR an explicit App ID that matches a single app
• All devices associated with the team
• All development certificates associated with the team

If your app can use a wildcard App ID (it can if it uses iCloud and other iOS-specific technologies), then Xcode generates a team provisioning profile named iOS Team Provisioning Profile: * as shown in the Name column in Figure 27. If you add a capability to your app such as Game Center or In-App-Purchase that requires an explicit App ID, Xcode creates a team provisioning file named iOS Team Provisioning Profile: followed by the app's bundle ID.

For a one-person development team, the development provisioning profile allows all apps signed by you to run on all of your registered devices (Figure 28).

Figure 28 - A team provisioning file for a one-person development team

For a company, a team provisioning file allows any app developed by a team to be signed by any team member and installed on any team device (Figure 29).

Figure 29 - A team provisioning file for a company development team

In the future, as you add team members, devices, and capabilities to your app, Xcode automatically updates the team provisioning file for you.

Conclusion

Provisioning your iOS devices so that you can test your apps on them is critical to the app development cycle, allowing you to see how your app functions in the "real world." Hopefully this blog post has cleared up some of the mystery surrounding this process. In upcoming posts, we will take advantage of the ability to run iAppsReview on an iOS device, and move the project further to completion.

How does a picture of actor Morgan Freeman wind up featured here on iPhone Life? Well, while he is undoubtedly a respected and immensely gifted performer, the reason you see his face here is because this image was created with only fingertips, talent, an iPad, and an amazing app called Procreate ($5.99). It really is a painting, though the detail rendered is mind-blowing, even when you zoom in on it. As an artist in my own right I can honestly say I've never seen such an amazing portrait, much less one created on an iPad.

If you read our iPhone Life Best App awards you already know that Procreate is an awesome tool for the creation of visual art. The sky is the limit in terms if what it allows anyone with talent and patience to produce. But this is ridiculous!

If you can't see the embedded video, please click HERE.

In this cool short video, you'll see a time lapse of UK artist Kyle Lambert doing his thing, and it is worth watching. The combination of talent and technology has resulted in quite the masterpiece!

With close to 300,000 "brush" strokes and over 200 hours concentrated labor, this portrait of Mr. Freeman is indeed awe inspiring. And to anyone and everyone who claims they can't draw (something that as an artist I hear all the time), I'd say this: art is something everyone is capable of. The question is, who loves doing it? If you've ever tried your hand at it you already know it can at times be as frustrating as it can be rewarding. But I can guarantee you, if you spend 200 hours focused intently on one art project, chances are that you will have created something that will amaze and surprise you and that you might be quite proud of. Becoming a great artist has a lot to do with who loves doing it. Who loves to sit and spend all those hours staring at a blank canvas to create an art project? As hip hop star Macklemore says: "the greats weren't great because at birth they could paint, the greats were great because they paint a lot!" Ain't that the truth!

For more of Kyle Lambert's stunning iPad art, head on over to his website for more examples and other time-lapse videos of his phenomenal creations. And if you are inspired to try your own hand at iPad painting, be sure to check out Procreate in the App Store. You can also visit Lambert's website for iPad illustration tutorials.