There are few experiences more enlightening than visiting a renowned art museum and exploring its collection. Art history aficionados can attest that there is nothing cooler than seeing the artwork you’ve studied all semester long in person. No surprise, in this day and age, museums have finally reached the point where a website is simply not enough for visitors. From interactive maps, exclusive videos, and a look at the current exhibits on display, these four museum apps are sure to complement your next museum trip.

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MoMA (Free)

The Modern Museum of Art (MoMA) in New York City, home to some of the world’s finest modern and contemporary art, has an app that is just as refined, aesthetically pleasing and intuitive as the museum itself. Brush up on the current and upcoming exhibitions prior to your next visit or browse MoMA’s permanent collection. Accompanying audio commentary from curators and object information are accessible to museum goers who want to delve deeper into the provenance behind a specific work of art. To ensure easy browsing, the art is organized according to special highlights, location, chronology, department, and artist. Not only is MoMA’s app a perfect fit for longtime visitors, but it’s also equipped for the first-timer who seeks the convenience of a comprehensive map and directory, a rundown of current events and everything you need to be ready for your visit.

Guggenheim (Free)

The Guggenheim is yet another must-visit art museum in New York City and is known just as much for its architecture (designed by Frank Lloyd Wright) as its collection of modern and contemporary works of art. In a nutshell, the Guggenheim takes a minimalist approach to covering all the essentials in the most seamless way possible. Brush up on current, past, and global exhibitions or search by artists, artworks, and guides to ensure that you find exactly what you’re looking for. For instance, a search for German-born American artist Josef Albers yields a rundown of his career achievements and a page displaying all related artworks owned by the Guggenheim.  

For those who appreciate “the good” in the form of architecture, this app includes a breakdown (complete with audio and photos) of Wright’s 1959 masterpiece.

LACMA (Free)

The Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA), the largest art museum on the west coast, flaunts a diverse collection of art that dates from antiquity to the present. LACMA’s app is easy to maneuver with everything easily accessible from the home screen. With the museum’s essential information in plain sight, you won’t have any issues locating its hours, admission details, or upcoming events. A glance at LACMA’s current events and collection highlights yields an illustrated summary of each exhibition. For instance, “Calder and Abstraction: From Avant-Garde to Iconic” is complemented by a brief description of Calder (just enough background information to acquaint you with his design philosophy) and a short film from the Modern Art Film Library.

National Gallery of Art (Free)

Located in our nation’s capital on the National Mall, the National Gallery of Art (NGA) houses a broad collection of artwork from the Middle Ages to the present. NGA’s app is designed to enhance a museumgoer’s experience and prepare them for their visit. Each artwork is accompanied with the name of the work, the medium, date and an overview of the artist and painting. Brief commentary from the curator is also included for those who want additional background information on the artwork and artist. It also features one of the better museum maps that helps pinpoint exactly where you are in relation to your favorite paintings.

In addition to writing for iPhone Life I also consult on web designing and Apple-related computer issues, which means I'm the go-to techie amongst all of my close friends. So when our close family friend (we'll call him "The Dude") got his new Apple TV and a set of speakers to go along with the new set-top box, I was more than happy to help him set everything up. While the Apple TV lived up to its reputation and delivered a seamlessly well-integrated media experience, it was the Kinivo M2 Bluetooth sound system ($69.99 on sale) that really got my attention. If you are looking for a great home theater speaker set up, one that won't break the bank, the Kinivo M2 Bluetooth speakers perform incredibly and they're one of the best deals I've come across anywhere online, comparable to systems that are over twice the price.

While I was admittedly unsure of what to expect in terms of quality from such a low-priced home theater system, I was more than pleasantly surprised when we finally got the Apple TV up and running and the Kinivo Bluetooth speakers synced and playing. This thing packs an explosive punch, the kind that would disturb close neighbors. Fortunately The Dude lives on a fair sized piece of land, so hopefully when he cranks the volume (which I know he is doing) he won't be rattling folks too, too much.

The small speakers are great; very stylish with exposed drivers and clear, well-balanced tones. The full-range speakers are great, but it's in the beast of a sub-woofer that this system really shines. I was surprised at how this home theater sound system makes the windows rattle and hum. For someone like The Dude, an enthusiastic audiophile who is in his mid 60s and has been attending live rock concerts since he was a young kid, these speakers are the perfect fit. They are loud enough to create a rich, acoustic, concert-like experience, and also plenty loud for someone with just a little bit of hearing loss resulting from over 40 years of loud rock 'n' roll concerts!

The system was a breeze to set up, and once it was good to go, we inaugurated it with his some of The Dude's favorite music, the Grateful Dead, streamed conveniently from YouTube on his iDevice via Airplay to his Apple TV and the big screen. With the volume up and the speakers spaced apart as far as they could go, they really did deliver an impressive and immersive sound that was almost too much for my keen ears, and that wasn't even at maximum volume. Don't get me wrong, the sound was crystal clear and distortion free, it's just that the Kinivo M2 gets LOUD, really loud, so if you are inspired to go pick one up, be careful of your own hearing and be considerate of roommates or neighbors. In fact the Kinivo M2 really should come with a disclaimer.

Kinivo M2, rear subwoofer design.

Pros:

• 56-watt speaker system delivers amazing audio output.

• One of the best speaker sets at the lowest price you'll find.

• Perfect for parties, college dorms, large rooms, or any other place loud and crisp volume is called for.

Cons:

• It would be nice if the peripheral speakers had longer cables. Devices connect to the subwoofer via Bluetooth, and the smaller speakers are wired to the subwoofer. For such a powerful array, it would be awesome if the speakers could be spaced further apart to maximize the immersive surround-sound effect.

Verdict:

With premium components sourced from low-cost suppliers, Kinivo is able to undercut the market dominated by expensive name brands. For a high-quality listening experience, without the high price, the Kinivo M2 is hard to upstage.

iPhone Life Rating:

4.5 out of 5 stars

Do you have an idea for an app but lack the programming knowledge to begin build 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 18 of the series. If you are just getting started now, check out the beginning of the series here. (This post has been updated to iOS 7.1.)

We've been discussing Core Data in my last several posts and now you should understand the basics of:

• Adding Core Data to a project
• Designing entities in a data model
• Generating entity classes from a data model
• How to retrieve, update, and delete entities
• Creating business controller classes for each entity class
• Using business controllers with view controllers

This week we're going to take a look at Core Data behind the scenes and examine the database that is automatically created for you the first time you try to retrieve entities. If you don't have it already, you can get a copy of the latest project from this link.

Examining the SQLite Database

When you run an app in the Simulator, a folder is created for you on your development computer's hard drive that contains the compiled app and its related files. To see this folder:

1. Launch the Mac OS X Finder App (the one with the smiley face);

2. In the Finder menu, click Go, and then hold down the option key. This adds Library to the list of folders as shown in Figure 1;

Figure 1 - Hold down the Option key to add Library to the list of folders.

3. Select the Library folder from the menu to display the contents of this folder in Finder;

4. Next, drill down into the Application Support folder, and then down into the iPhone Simulator folder. You will see one or more subfolders, one for each version of the iPhone Simulator you have installed on your computer (Figure 2);

Figure 2 - The iPhone Simulator folders

5. Next, drill down into the folder for the latest version of the iPhone Simulator (in this case, the 7.1 folder), and then drill down into the Applications subfolder. You will now see a list of folders with unique identifier names as shown in Figure 3. The unique identifiers on your machine will be different than those shown in this figure (that's what makes them unique). Each of these subfolders represents an app that you have run in the Simulator;

Figure 3 - The Applications folders

6. Before drilling down into the next level, set the view mode of Finder to Cover Flow. To do this, click the Finder toolbar button shown in red in Figure 4;

Figure 4 - Select Finder's Cover Flow viewing mode.

7. Before going further, let's bookmark the Applications folder so it's easy to get back here. Select the Applications folder and drag it to the left side of the Finder window under Favorites (Figure 5);

Figure 5 - Add the Applications folder to Favorites.

8. Now let's try to find the iAppsReview project folder. With the Finder set to Cover Flow, select the first unique identifier folder in the list, and you will see a file with a .app extension along with Documents, Library, and tmp folders. Press the down arrow until you see the iAppsReview.app file as shown in Figure 6;

Figure 6 - Look for the iAppsReview.app file.

9. When you find the folder that contains the iAppsReview.app file, select the Documents subfolder and you will see the iAppsReview.sqlite database file (Figure 7) along with its associated .sqlite-shm and .sqlite-wal files.

Figure 7 - The .sqlite file is located in the Documents folder.

To examine the contents of the .sqlite file, you need a special app, which is discussed in the next section.

Firefox and the SQLite Manager

I have found that one of the best tools for viewing a SQLite database is the SQLite Manager add-on for the Firefox web browser. I'll show you how to get this tool on your development machine.

1. If you don't already have the Firefox web browser installed on your Mac, go to this link to download and install Firefox:

http://mozilla.org/firefox;

2. After installing Firefox, go to the following link to download and install SQLite Manager:

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/firefox/addon/sqlite-manager/;

3. Now that you have both Firefox and SQLite Manager installed, launch Firefox (you should be able to find it in your Applications folder on your Mac);

4. After Firefox successfully launches, go to the Firefox Tools menu and select SQLite Manager. This displays the SQLite Manager window (Figure 8);

Figure 8 - The SQLite Manager window

5. To open the app's SQLite database files, click the Connect Database toolbar button at the top of the SQLite Manager window (Figure 9);

Figure 9 - Opening a database in SQLite Manager

6. On the left side of the Select SQLite Database dialog, click the Applications folder you added to Favorites in the previous section. On the right side of the dialog, drill down into the folder that contains iAppsReview files and then drill down into the Documents folder to select the iAppsReview.sqlite database (Figure 10);

Figure 10 - Select the iAppsReview.sqlite file.

7. Click the Open button to open the database in SQLite Manager. This displays the iAppsReview database files in the panel on the left (Figure 11).

Figure 11 - iAppsReview Database tables

You don't need to know all the details about what each of these tables does. In fact, one of the main goals of Core Data is to hide these details from you. However, it's good to have a basic understanding of the underlying mechanics in case something should go wrong. 

There are three tables, ZAPPCATEGORYENTITY, ZREVIEWENTITY, and ZUSERENTITY that have the same name as the entities that you added to the entity data model, but with a Z prefix;

8. Expand the table nodes and you will see the columns shown in Figure 12. Z_PK is the primary key (unique identifier) for the entity, Z_ENT is the entity ID (every entity of a particular type has the same entity ID), and Z_OPT indicates the number of times an entity has been changed (starting with 1 when it is initially added to the database). All of the other columns are attributes you added to the entities in the entity data model with a Z prefix;

Figure 12 - iAppsReview table columns

9. Let's add records to the database so that we can have something to view in our app. Note that you shouldn't normally do this. We're doing it in this post to see first hand how a database works.

In the panel on the left in the SQLite Manager, click on ZAPPCATEGORYENTITY to select it. Then, on the right side of the panel make sure the Browse and Search tab is selected, and then click the Add button. This displays the dialog shown in Figure 13;

Figure 13 - Adding an App Category record

10. Enter 1 in the Z_ENT, Z_OPT, and ZCATEGORYID boxes, and in the ZNAME box, enter the text Entertainment as shown in Figure 14;

Figure 14 - Adding an Entertainment category

11. Click the OK button. This displays the confirmation dialog shown in Figure 15;

Figure 15 - The new record confirmation dialog

12. Click the OK button to add the new record to the database. When you do this, the New Record dialog is redisplayed with a confirmation message at the top as shown in Figure 15. As stated in this message, if you press Cancel, you will exit the dialog. Otherwise, you can add another new record;

Figure 16 - Record inserted successfully!

13. To add the next record, press the tab key until the ZCATEGORYID box has focus and its contents are highlighted (without changing any other values). Type the number 2, then tab to the ZNAME box and enter the text Games (which deletes the existing text) and press OK. In the confirmation dialog, press OK to save the record;

14. Now let's add just one more category record. Tab down to the ZCATEGORYID box again, and this time enter the number 3. Next, tab to the ZNAME box, enter the text News, and click the OK button to save the new record. Afterwards, press Cancel to exit the dialog.

At this point you should now have three app category records in the database.

Test Driving the App

Now that you have app category records in the database, let's run the app again and see how this data looks at run time.

1. At the top-left corner of the Xcode window, set the scheme to iPhone Retina (3.5-inch) or (4-inch).

2. Click Xcode's Run button;

3. When the app appears in the Simulator, click the Write a Review row at the top of the iAppsReview screen;

4. Click the App Category row at the top of the Write Review scene and you should see the three categories you just entered in the database as shown in Figure 17! If you are like most people, it's pretty exciting to see the app displaying entities that it retrieved from the database on the device.

Figure 17 - The app categories at run time!

If you want to see more records in the table view, go ahead and add the following category rows to the database just as you did in the previous section and then run the app in the Simulator to see the new records:

Conclusion

At this point you have done much of the work necessary for adding Core Data to the iAppsReview project. In my next post we will enhance the project to create and update other entities and I'll even show you how to ship a database with your app so that your users have a database pre-populated with data. 

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The Calendar app on your iPhone or iPad has Sunday set as the first day of the week. But considering the work week tends to divide quite distinctly into weekdays and the weekend, with most of our appointments and business meetings taking place Monday through Friday, you may prefer to set Monday as the first day of the week. Or if you have an unusual schedule, you could set any day of the week you prefer to be the first day of your personalized week. Here's how:

Go to Settings>Mail, Contacts, Calendars and scroll down to Calendars.

Tap on Start Week On and then select the day of the week you want your week to start.

Now when you open Calendar, the day you have selected will show up as the first day of the week.

Top image credit: thinglass/Shutterstock.com

With all of the hubbub around iOS 8, it's worth remembering that iOS 7 is still around and still being maintained by Apple. In fact, this week Apple rolled out an update, iOS 7.1.2, which offers bug fixes and security updates. Many of the fixes are related to barcode scanning and iBeacon. The 23.1 Megabyte update can be installed wirelessly, which helps contribute to Apple's record-setting adoption rates. I've been using Android devices a lot lately, and it's frustrating how out of date they get. Industry tracker Chitika Research reports that iOS 7 adoption rates are around 90 percent and that was three weeks ago.

By comparison, Android's latest version has an adoption rate of about 37 percent, and the previous version is at 47 percent. The diverse set of manufacturers behind the various Android phones and tablets decide if the old hardware will get the new operating system, and often the answer is no. Many of the phones and tablets are in the $100 range and it seems the manufacturers would just prefer you to buy a new gadget in order to get the latest features.

With Beats becoming part of Apple, there's room for an independent high-end headphone vendor and SMS wants to earn that spot.  I've reviewed their Star Wars licensed line by 50 Cent and been impressed. Now they are pivoting (pun intended) in another direction, namely athletic earbuds and on-ear headphones, with help from NBA star Carmelo Anthony.

Athletes care about sound, of course, but also comfort, sweat resistance, and the ability to stay on despite rigorous activity. It also helps if they look nice and are made of quality materials. Finally, wireless is important so you can move freely. It sounds like (pun intended, again) that the SMS Sport line meets those demands. Here's the rundown:

The SMS On-Ear Wired Sport model is foldable with perforated leather memory foam for breathability. There's a sweat-proof chamber within the ear cup and a rubberized coating to resist chipping and scratches. The price tag is $179.95. The In-Ear Wired Sport costs $79.95 and features stay-put, ear-hook design, tangle-free cord with three-click mic, and extra hooks and sound-isolation ear tips.

There is a $229.95 wireless version of the On-Ear Sport featuring Bluetooth with on-ear control, as well as a $149.95 wireless version of the In-Ear Wireless Sport with HD battery for extended life with extra hooks and sound-isolation ear tips. The Sport headphones are available in blue, pink and yellow at SMSAudio.com.

Batteries and chargers—Smartphones and tablets are hungry for them. But if you do a search online, and good luck choosing a battery or charger that is not at least sometimes annoying. They will either be too heavy or too bulky, the power will drain too quickly, etc. But now the AUGMENT(case $24.95/charge $39.95) an add-on case and charging solution made for the latest iPhone models aims to change the status quo. The AUGMENT is a power pack that can cleverly ride around on the bottom of an attractive cover or fit into a pocket.

AUGMENT is a case and battery combo that straddles the line between being an add-on charge and a seriously snappy-looking case accessory. The products sell separately, and both stand well on their own; but when you bring them together, a unique synergy is realized I have not found in other case-power combo designs! The charge makes my iPhone (or even my iPad Mini) look good while pushing the milliamps. It looks so good, and is so unobtrusive I grudgingly yanked it off to test with the iPhone.

The case material is a remarkably flexible yet strong molding of TPU and Polycarbonate. Having run the case gauntlet at past trade shows like CES, I thought I had seen nearly every case design using these materials. The AUGMENT sample I was sent has a firm back and edge molding that is also interestingly flexible. Though I didn't shock test the case, I felt comfortable that it would have no trouble protecting against moderate drops that might otherwise break your phone. The front lip and sides provide decent edge and face protection as well.

All required ports on your iPhone are exposed, so the AUGMENT should not get in the way of a dock (which looks to be coming soon). Inset soft buttons on one side provide volume control via small nibs on the inside of the case. Colors are mix and match too, which allows for a bit of styling by swapping out case/battery hues (three main colors are available).

The interlocking design of case and power pack allows the two to fit together like a glove, and frankly you can hardly tell it's there, though it does add a little over an inch to the bottom of your iPhone. At less than a half inch thick, you can simply unplug it and slide it easily into a pocket or purse as needed. I'm not saying you would want to walk around with it permanently connected; the extra length might make landscape gaming or thumb typing cumbersome, for example.

The Verdict

Cases and battery packs are thick as leaves on a tree in high summer, with more coming every day. I've seen many come and go, but I predict the AUGMENT will have staying power. The charge provides a verified 60 percent boost over similar add-on power packs, and will be available for the iPhone 6. The pre-order unit iss solid, attractive, and also available for pre-order. The company expects to ship in August 2014. Check the links above for full details on this innovative case/power combo.

One of the great things about using an iPhone or iPad is that you can look up the definition of any word you encounter in Notes, Safari, Mail, and more with the Define feature. (See the tip on how to do that HERE.) But what if you are traveling or you speak more than one language and you want to be able to look up words in those languages as well?

In addition to the English, Apple, and American English dictionaries iPhones and iPads in the U.S. come with by default, you can also download British English, German, Italian, Korean, French, Spanish, Dutch, Korean-English, Japanese-English, Simplified Chinese, Simplified Chinese-English, and Japanese dictionaries to your device from iCloud.

To download a dictionary, press and hold on a word until a menu pops up. 

Tap Define to open the definition and then tap Manage in the bottom left corner.

This will bring up a list of available dictionaries.

Tap on the cloud icon next to the dictionary you want to download.

Tap the 'x' to delete a dictionary from your device.

Note that unless a dictionary has English in the title (ex. Korean-English) the definitions will not be in English.

Top image credit: rommma/shutterstock.com

This is the official announcement of the iPhone life Biweekly Giveaway! Be sure to enter the giveaway at iphoneLife.com/giveaways to win prizes, which we'll announce July 14th! We are raffling off tons of great accessories for FREE.

Here's how it works: Every other Friday we will announce the prizes we're giving away through iphonelife.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. To enter the giveaway, go to iphoneLife.com/giveaways and tell your friends to enter too! On the following Monday morning, we will randomly select the winners. If you win an app, we will email you the promo code to redeem the app for free. If you win an accessory, send us your address and we will mail it to you.

This week's featured items are:

1. Trident Kraken AMS iPhone 5s Case: Retail Price $49.95

Kraken A.M.S. Series cases are the absolute strongest, most durable cases we make. Kraken A.M.S. features three layers of protection, including over-molded shock-absorbing TPE and hardened polycarbonate in the interior and exterior of the case. The detachable aluminum media stand provides the option to attach a variety of interchangeable accessories, allowing you to use your device to its full potential. Kraken A.M.S. cases allow you to adapt your case to fit your lifestyle.

2. Fluxmob Bolt Stealth Battery Backup & Wall Charger: Retail Price: $59.99

BOLT is the world's smallest portable battery backup and wall charger combined. BOLT is designed to replace your standard wall charger and will automatically charge with your phone and be ready to go when you are. This makes BOLT a true grab-and-go solution.

3. Duracell PowerCase & PowerMat for iPhone 5 & 5s: Retail Price $119.95

Designed by world-renowned Yves Behar, this battery case for an iPhone 5 or 5s prepares your iPhone to receive on-the-go power from a wireless charging Duracell Powermat (included).

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 July 14th!

If you gave it a try and decided Touch ID is not for you, you can easily disable the security feature and go back to using a passcode to unlock your iPhone 5s or to make iTunes and App Store purchases.

Go to Settings>Touch ID & Passcode and enter your passcode.

Toggle iPhone Unlock off or iTunes & App Store off. You can now access your iPhone with only the passcode.

Your iPhone is a great tool to catalog your outdoor explorations. For an example, check out the image of Longs Peak that I took with my iPhone in Rocky Mountain National Park. Until I acquired a Nikon camera a few weeks ago, I relied solely on my iPhone for outdoor photography. I purchased the 32GB model of the 5s for the extra photo storage. I am no professional photographer, but I travel for work or play about once a month so you can imagine how many photos I have amassed.

Here is some insight into the best apps and tools to use for your adventures:

The native Camera app is great. Some choose Camera+ ($1.99) for the advanced zoom and continuous flash features; but some features, including touch exposure, are also available on the native Camera app. You can change to panoramic mode almost instantly, as well as add filters right in the app. 

To work with exposure right in your native Camera app, just tap on different places on the screen—light and dark—before you take the picture. You can also turn on HDR (high dynamic range) which takes three separate pictures with different exposures and stitches them together.

Another great app for taking photos is ProCam ($0.99). The best feature of this possible camera replacement is the time feature, which is perfect for propping up your phone on a rock to take a photo of your whole group.

After you are done snapping away at beautiful mountain tops or spring flowers, you can useInstaSize (free) to crop, edit and resize photos to showcase and post in Instagram (free).

To end your great outdoor adventure, use Flickr (free) to upload photos straight from your iPhone to create a visually appealing photo collection. You can share albums, create sets, and send links to all your friends and family.

All in all, the iPhone 5s camera is a great way to record your adventures. So next time you take a trip, think about using these tools and apps to create a memorable experience with your iPhone.

A recent interview by Apple's CEO Tim Cook suggests that voice may be more important to an iWatch than previously thought. I've used a number of smartwatches, from Pebble, Martian Watches and others. While the Pebble offers the best battery life, the Martian Watch offers the most promise precisely because of its Siri button. In addition to acting as a Bluetooth Speakerphone, there is a button that can be pressed to activate Siri. This is similar to CarPlay, where an audio-only interface is used to access Siri's functions, so there's no touchscreen to distract the driver.

With the compact screen that an iWatch is bound to have, keyboard-based text entry will be impractical, so speech recognition is the way to go. It's no wonder that Apple has been on a hiring spree for speech technology engineers and researchers. Two more reasons to expect voice input to be the key to a keyboard-less future are Apple TV and the phablet phenomenon. Walt Isaacson wrote that Steve Jobs "cracked the code" on making a better TV experience, and voice input, to the Apple TV or a watch, could be simpler than a traditional remote control. And as iPhones get larger this fall, it may become impractical to hold one to your head. Instead, it could act almost as a router to let the iWatch be the main form of communication, and the iPhone can be tucked away in a briefcase or purse or on your desk. With OS X Yosemite, and iOS 8, Apple allows for handing off phone calls and text messages between Macs and iOS devices, so the common thread is voice. Just talk to the Apple product that's closest, and what's closer than a watch?!

A new video posted by the Chinese website ifanr gives perhaps the clearest look so far at how the size of the forthcoming iPhone 6 with a 4.7-inch display compares to the 4-inch display of the iPhone 5s. The video claims to show an actual front panel of the iPhone 6, and puts it beside a front panel of an iPhone 5s. It also shows how the new phone will fit in one's hand compared to the 5s. See the embedded video below.

The new phone is expected to launch in September. Rumors also suggest that a 5.5-inch iPhone is coming, but it may arrive later in the fall in a separate launch event. Most of the rumors and leaked images surrounding the iPhone 6 continue to focus on the 4.7-inch version, suggesting the even larger device will come later.

It's expected to be thinner and to be styled like the iPad Air and iPad mini, with more rounded edges. In addition, it's expected to come with a new A8 processor. Some rumors have suggested that the display will use a sapphire crystal laminate to make it even more impervious to scratching. You can see a roundup of the rumored features in this earlier post. 

The iPhone 6 is expected to generate a lot of interest. A post on AppleInsider reported that Apple's suppliers are anticipating sales of the iPhone 6 to be 20 percent greater than the 5s. Plus, as reported by CNET, a survey of smartphone owners who are intending to upgrade their current phone found that nearly half plan to buy the iPhone 6 when it launches in the coming months. The survey also found that 35 percent of those who aren't planning to buy an iPhone would consider buying the iPhone 6 if it does in fact have a larger screen size. In addition, 26 percent of those surveyed said they'd be willing to pay a $100 premium for a 5.5-inch iPhone.

In short, screen size matters. Larger screens have become popular, and everything suggests that Apple's new, larger phones will be a hit. According to the report, other features that are important to prospective buyers include battery life and an improved camera.

Every day brings us closer to the iPhone 6, and all signs point to September for the announcement and availability. In fact the specific dates may be narrowing, according to a Chinese source, as reported by Apple Insider. September 19 or 25 are being discussed as potential dates customers could get their hands on the 4.7" device. A 5.5" version is expected to be announced but possibly later this year. Now we are learning that the larger unit may be dubbed the iPhone Air. This is counterintuitive, as the MacBook Air represents the lighter, smaller MacBook compared to the Pro, but the iPad mini vs iPad Air may set a new precedent, with Air representing the handheld device with the largest screen. Perhaps the better naming convention would be to make the 4.7" model the iPhone Air and the 5.5" version the iPhone Pro while keeping the current iPhone 5s as the basic iPhone.

It's possible that Apple will preannounce the device(s) a week or so before availability, to "prime the pump" as they have done before. This could explain the September 19 date. The later date, September 25 could be the availability date. Some observers doubt this, because it's a Thursday, and Apple typically makes their iPhones available on a Friday. I know this because September 20 is my anniversary and that was when the last iPhone 5s was available! However, China is playing an increasingly important role for Apple and they are expected to get the new iPhone on the first day it's available. Since China is a day ahead, it would be Friday, September 26, when it's Thursday, September 25, in Cupertino. One thing is certain; I know what my anniversary present will be!

After taking a plunge to number three last year on Barron's 'World's Most Respected Companies' list, Apple is now back at number one; this comeback is said to coincide with a revival in its shares, which Barron reported has gained more than 60 percent since the spring of 2013.

2013 was not the best year for Apple's brand and image. In addition to falling lower on the Barron list, Apple also lost its spot to Google on BrandZ's annual ranking of Most Valuable Brands, where Apple held the top spot for three consecutive years.

One potential reason for this brief drought in Apple's brand recognition could be an outdated marketing strategy, which hasn't changed a great deal since its introduction in 1977. The third principle in the company's marketing philosophy has supported the success of its iPod, iPhone, and iPad products, where presentation was certainly key to their success. But in today's world, the consumer is also a lot more educated about technology than the year Star Wars came out. Modern marketing strategies currently go beyond what is played on TV or displayed in stores, and in this sense, it seems that other companies are doing a little better in the creative department.

"[Apple's] revolution has come and gone, and I'm not sure a job at Apple would be a creative opportunity," said a top ad executive. "If I were going to go brand-site, there are a lot more interesting companies I'd rather work for, like Coke or Pepsi." For shame, Apple—losing your creative edge to two sugar water companies. It's good you're on the top of the Barron list again, but if you want to remain there, you certainly should inject yourself with some of the creativity that you are currently missing.

Apple has made some interesting personnel moves lately, starting with Angela Ahrendts, previously CEO of Burberry. To leave the top job at a prestigious fashion firm for a non-CEO job might be puzzling, but it demonstrates Apple's own prestige. At Apple, Ahrendts has a chance to make an impact on the consumer electronics scene at one of the most well respected firms. And given the trend toward wearables, it could be nice to combine her fashion expertise with Apple's technology savvy.

Then came the Beats purchase, which in addition to Beats Music, an increasingly important element to Apple's streaming strategy, brought Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre. Iovine is believed to be the key to helping Apple negotiate with media suppliers to enhance Apple TV. Dr. Dre might just be the coolest guy at Apple, especially with Steve Jobs gone, and while Apple knows you can't buy cool, you can certainly create an environment and aura that attracts cool employees and cool customers. Headphones were the first "wearable" and are an expensive fashion statement at $200 to $400. I was at the press conference with Monster back at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas when Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine announced Beats, and there was speculation that people wouldn't pay that much for headphones. But Dr. Dre helped make that happen

Now comes word that Apple has lured away Patrick Pruniaux, VP Global Sales & Retail for the maker of Swiss watches under the brands Tag Heuer, Hublot, and Zenith. Those brands are owned by fashion icon LVMH, holding company of Louis Vuitton, Dior, and others. Apparently Apple has been trying to land executives from Swiss watch companies for some time. Clearly wearables, and in particular smartwatches, are in the future for Apple and diehard Apple customers. But maybe such a device will attract fashionistas too who are new to Apple? Now that would be cool!

The first Apple devices were handmade by Steve Wozniak, Steve Jobs, and a few others in Jobs' family garage. They've come a long way since then. While most Apple devices are now made in China, via subcontractors like Foxconn, there are still a few devices made in America. The new version of the $3,000-plus Mac Pro is made in the U.S., where the higher price can offset any costs due to Americans demanding a living wage and not polluting the environment. Foxconn has had their own problems with worker suicides leading to the installation of netting around buildings. Yet workers still flock to Foxconn factories because the working conditions are often better than the alternatives.

Now comes word from China, via Apple Insider, that Foxconn may be turning to robots to complete the assembly of iPhones, and eliminating Chinese worker's jobs. These "Foxbots" might also help with Apple's secrecy requirements, as the fewer humans who come into contact with the next generation device, the fewer leaks. Foxconn may bring 10,000 Foxbots online, at a cost of up to $25,000 each. Those robots don't eat or sleep or disclose secrets, presumably, and can make 30,000 devices per year.

This is not Apple's first foray into robots. Apple bought NeXT, Steve Jobs' venture after he was kicked out of Apple. Steve was such a fan of automation that his NeXT factory in Fremont, California, was almost entirely automated. I used to admire their building, as it was next to Fry's Electronics, a frequent haunt of mine when I lived in the Silicon Valley and worked for Sun Microsystems. I recall on October 17, 1989, the day of the "World Series" Earthquake, hearing that, in addition to the tragic human loss, while many companies and buildings had damage, NeXT only lost one motherboard because the robot put down too much solder when the quake hit.

Perhaps it's ironic, or just the logical chain of events, as Apple moves from the founders making the first Apple devices, to factories in the U.S., to outsourced workers in China, and ultimately to robots. But it feels like we might be closer to the day SkyNet becomes self aware!

I just got back from CE Week and I always try to travel light. Instead of carrying a battery pack and a USB charger as I wandered around the tradeshow floor and around New York City, I tried something new, namely TYLT's Energi 2K Travel Charger. This compact "block" has 2,000 mAh of battery life, a USB port, and a flip-down prong for charging via the wall. This eliminates the need to carry two separate devices and made my life a lot easier. Combined with a retractable Lightning cable, I was able to keep my iPhone charged and recharge the Energi back whenever I was near a wall outlet.

TYLT has created some great accessories recently, and I've written about most of them. They are well designed, and available in a variety of colors. What sets this product apart was that it was crowdfunded thanks to Kickstarter, which shows I'm not alone in wanting such a gadget! If you didn't get a chance to back the project on Kickstarter, check out TYLT.com to get your own.

Tired of tossing and turning as you try to fall asleep at night? There are apps out there that can help you get the shut-eye you need and keep your sleep cycle on track. 

Millions of Americans don’t get enough sleep, and a survey shows that more than 40 percent of adults experience tiredness at least a few days each month to the extent that it interferes with daily living, according to the American Psychological Association. A lack of sleep can cause irritability, moodiness and disinhibition (a loss of inhibition) — but those are only the initial signs, psychologist and sleep expert David Dinges says on the APA website. It can also negatively affect your memory and cause apathy, slowed speech and an inability to multitask.

That’s why it might be important for you to start monitoring your sleep patterns, or at least fall asleep more quickly. Here’s a roundup of some apps to get you started.

1. Sleep Cycle ($0.99)

This app, developed by Northcube AB, helps you track your sleep cycle — meaning it lets you determine when you’re in a light sleep or deep sleep, or in the dream state, known as REM-sleep. Sleep Cycle prompts an alarm clock sound to go off within a 30-minute window while you’re in a lighter phase of sleep so you wake up feeling refreshed, rather than groggy. The app also measures your quality of sleep, calculated by the amount of movement during the night and the total amount of time that you're asleep.

2. Insomnia Cure ($2.99)

Insomnia Cure, developed by renowned clinical hypnotherapist Max Kirsten, offers hypnotic sessions to help you fall asleep. It provides nearly three hours worth of audio, three main audio sessions, deep breathing sleep sessions, cards with sleep facts, and a PDF document consisting of 40 pages on ways to get a better night’s rest.

3. Sleep Soundly Hypnosis (Free)

Sleep Soundly Hypnosis uses a combination of guided imagery and relaxation exercises to help you gradually fall asleep. The app was developed by Kym Tolson and and Hani Al-Qasem, who have also developed other apps such as Heal Depression and Fear of Flying. 

4. SleepBot (Free)

You can use this app to track sound and movement levels and wake up feeling refreshed with an alarm system that wakes you at a time you'll feel most refreshed. And, you can track sleeping patterns over a long-term period to help you stay consistent and on track. It's pretty simple to use: When you’re going to sleep, you indicate that on the app. The phone then turns off all music and sounds, enters airplane mode and starts tracking your sleep cycle.

Some of your Facebook friends like games. A lot. Some of your Facebook friends want you to like games a lot too. And you know this because they've sent you so many Facebook game requests that you are considering unfriending them just to make the onslaught stop. 

We at iPhone Life don't want to tell you who to be friends with, but you don't actually have to unfriend the Facebook gamers you know in order to make the game requests stop. Here's what you can do instead:

Open the Facebook app on your iPhone or iPad.

Tap the More icon in the lower right corner.

Tap Settings and then Notification Settings 

Under How You Get Notifications, tap Mobile Push.

Tap the boxes next to Application Requests and Application Invites to uncheck and stop receiving game and app requests and invitations.