It's that time of year again. Right after a new iPhone comes out there is the inevitable deluge of great cases to protect your new investment. This happens with every iPhone release, but perhaps never more markedly than with the introduction of the completely new form factors of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. If ever an iPhone needed a case, it is these larger models, with their increased real estate, slick, rounded edges, and extra weight. Rather than clump a bunch of individual cases together into one roundup I'll be focusing on one great iPhone 6/6 Plus case each week over the course of the coming months. This week's featured case is Pelican's ProGear Voyager.

I really have to emphasize the fact that even though this case is an extreme-duty case, it still maintains a sleek, low profile that doesn't make it obvious that it meets or exceeds the prestigious MIL-STD-810 military standards of protection. The Voyager (iPhone 6 $50, iPhone 6 Plus $60) has a deceptively simple looking design, but don't be fooled by its minimalist appearance. This case has been precision crafted to provide an exceptional level of shock protection to your iPhone. With four layers of protection, the Voyager lives up to its name as a case that is ready for adventures.

Simple and Practical

The lines of this case strike me as very contemporary, with bold accents of texture and color, making this case easier to grip (which is an especially relevant consideration with the new larger iPhones) and easier to find. The bottom edge of the Voyager case  has a rubber bumper which contains two flaps that serve to plug the openings to the power port as well as the headphone jack. The bottom bumper also houses a cleverly designed, acoustic-enhancing speaker cover that doesn't just protect the iPhone's speaker, it channels the sound towards the user and smoothly amplifies it. If you already have the iPhone 6/6 Plus, then you already know that Apple's latest iPhones have a great sounding speaker, and unlike some other heavy-duty cases which tend to muffle the sound, the Voyager favorably enhances your iPhone's acoustic output. The Voyager also comes with a scratch-resistant, stick-on screen protector and a clip-on belt holster that doubles as a viewing stand. 

Conclusion:

Pelican has been making high-end protective gear for decades and they bring their years of experience to bear with their latest lightweight, extreme-protection iPhone cases.

iPhone Life rating:

5 out of 5 stars

Relying on the built-in microphone on your iPhone or iPad for recording audio performances is fine for quick stream of consciousness captures. But if you’re serious about audio fidelity and capturing high-quality recordings, you need a serious microphone for the job. Does IK Multimedia’s iRig Mic HD meet this demanding requirement? Read on to find out.

In addition to providing excellent audio quality via its built-in 24-bit analog-to-digital converter, the iRig Mic HD’s 44.1/48 kHz sampling rate insures clean, noise-free recording. And the weight and feel of the iRig Mic HD is on par with condenser microphones costing at least twice as much. The embedded gain-control dial and multicolor LED at the neck of the mic are smartly added for visually monitoring your capture volume.

The mic is available in two colors, black and silver, although the silver can only be obtained by purchasing directly from the Apple Store. I prefer the black body myself, as the special silver edition reminds me too much of talk show microphones. Regardless of body color, the iRig Mic HD makes an excellent accessory to have for on-the-go news reporting, live podcasting, and singing performance capture. IK Multimedia also offers a number of free versions of their iOS applications to make the most of the captured audio. Of course, these programs acquire compensation via in-app purchases that take them far beyond their base recording and playback functionality.

Overall, if you’re a serious audiophile looking for one of the best digital handheld microphones to use with your iPhone or iPad, the iRig Mic HD is a must-have audio hardware accessory. Highly recommended.

iPhone Life rating:

5 stars out of 5 stars

I never, ever carry my iPhone without a protective case. While I would love to be one of those people (you know who you are!) who bares their beautiful gold iPhone for the world to see, I just can't do it. I'm clumsy and terrified that I'll drop it—even though I have a great insurance policy on it. 

I love this infographic because it's so true. I've sold back all of my "old" iPhones in pristine condition because they have always had a protective case and screen protector on them—in fact, I ended up paying only $48 out of pocket for my iPhone 6 because I sold my old 5s for the purchase price of the new phone, paying only tax. I've sold my phones to Verizon, on eBay, and Gazelle, and have always earned a fair price for them.

Here's how that all works:

Thanks to Otterbox for this great graphic about selling back your old phones. It's a great reason to invest in (and use) a great case! 

Have you always wanted to build an iOS app, but lacked the knowledge and skills? Have you ever signed up for an online course on creating iOS apps, only to feel frustrated because the content was out of date or not comprehensive enough? Are you dying to learn more about Swift and programming for the Apple Watch? It's a story we hear all the time at iPhone Life. And that's why we decided to partner with iPhone app expert, former Apple employee, and adjunct professor at RIT Paul Solt to make his iOS development courses available to iPhone Life readers at a big discount.

Paul's courses are available as individual courses or as bundles. Students who take the courses will learn how to create iPhone apps from scratch, even if you don't have any programming experience. You will come away from these courses excited and passionate about creating high-quality apps and you will understand the entire process of creation from inception through launch. And iPhone Life will be featuring some of the top apps that get built in these courses on our website!

Check out the course schedule:

October 6: Swift and iOS 8 Apps in 31 days

November 17: iPhone Games with Sprite Kit in 31 Days

January 12: Real World App Experience

Early 2015: Make Apps for Apple Watch

Available today: Make iPhone Apps with Objective-C

Available today: iPhone App Programming with Objective-C

Available today: Swift Primer

Follow the links below to get the iPhone Life discount:

Buy 1 iPhone Course: iPhone Apps with Swift

$49 (originally $99)

This course will teach the basics of programming along with the new programming language called Swift. You will walk away with an understanding of how to write code, design interfaces with Xcode 6, and create iPhone apps.

• Create your first iPhone app
• Write code with Swift, Apple's new programming language
• Learn from daily lessons

2 Course Bundle: iPhone Apps and Games

$99 (originally $199)

These app programming courses will teach you the basics for how to make iPhone apps and iPhone games utilizing Swift. Each course is designed to fit into your daily schedule with short video lessons, code exercises, and Q&A videos.  

• 20 hours of code tutorials and lectures
• 40 exercises to practice what you learn
• 40 Q&A videos to answer your questions

7 Courses: The Complete Bundle

$149(originally $499)

These app programming courses will teach you the basics for how to make iPhone apps, Apple Watch apps, and iPhone games utilizing both Swift and Objective-C. You will also learn vital but often overlooked real world skills, such as how to publish your app on the App store. 

• 60 hours of code tutorials and lectures
• 70 exercises to practice what you learn
• 60 Q&A videos to answer your questions

Yes, you read that headline right.

A pair of teenagers in England went to an Apple store and bent the display iPhone 6 Plus. Even with the force of teen hands, you can see the screen pop out of the front of the phone. 

The video has since been removed from the user's account, but since this is the internet, their attempt was recorded and put back on YouTube. Check it out below:

Don't do this at home. Or in the Apple Store. Or anywhere. These teens have taken full responsibility for their actions, offering to pay to replace phone. Click here for their apology video.

This "bendgate" scandal has gotten a lot of coverage since the iPhone 6 Plus was released. However, Apple and studies by Consumer Reports show that this phone is tougher than past iPhone models, despite customer reports that iPhones are bending in people's pockets (after customers sit on them, that is).

This post is part of our daily tip series. Want to master your iPhone and iPad? Sign up here to get the tip of the day delivered right to your inbox.

Apple had a lot to announce on September 9, even bringing Steve Jobs's "One More Thing" phrase out to introduce the Apple Watch. So it's understandable that updated iPads or Macs weren't discussed. However, it looks like another announcement is less than a month away.

Apple is expected to announce an update to the iPad line. Given that Touch ID is over a year old, it's about time that it came to the iPad line. Now that app developers can use Touch ID for their apps, it will be even more useful. Additionally, the success of the gold iPhone 5s, which Apple wasn't prepared for, lends credence to the rumor that a gold iPad Air and possibly iPad mini will be forthcoming.

Unlike with iPhones, many iPad owners aren't on a contract, so they don't need an incentive to upgrade. AT&T, Sprint, Verizon, and others were aggressively marketing trade in offers to get consumers to sign up for another 24 months, but that might not happen with iPads. It might be wise to look to a trade-in service and lock in a value for that old iPad, if you plan to upgrade. I have used SellYourMac.com many times, with great success. I just checked and I can get $380 for my 32 GB iPad Air for AT&T, about $150 less than I paid on Black Friday last year. That's pretty attractive. Since Apple products maintain their value so well, and SellYourMac specializes in Apple gear, it's like leasing an iPad.  I can get a new iPad each year and it only ends up costing me about $10 to $20 each month. Since you can get a no-obligation quote, it costs nothing other than time, and you can make an informed decision before you purchase the next iPad. And if Apple's Tim Cook manages his supply chain, you could get the new iPad before you have to send in your old one!

Ah the dilemma of an early adopter... We get the latest gear, but when Apple introduces an entirely new form factor, as with the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus, we lose out on some of our favorite cases. So I was very happy to see a new package from Alto Collective ($35-$45). They make beautiful etched-wood cases, by hand, in Canada. I've tried other wooden cases, but while they look and feel great, they don't have the protection and precision that Alto does. Alto combines a custom wood back with a rubberized, textured border. This provides grip and protection and it should last better than other wooden cases.

The Alto case is quite slim, which is important when you're using Apple's slimmest iPhone yet, and the beautiful etchings add to the beauty of what is arguably Apple's most beautiful iPhone to date. Customers can select from a variety of woods and designs, so you can be sure nobody else has the same case!

You can never have enough chargers or Lightning cables. Inevitably, when you need one, you can't find one. Thinium has released a remarkably compact charging unit for Lightning devices that collapses into the size of a couple of credit cards. Through Transformer-like technology, the unit expands to reveal two prongs to plug into a wall outlet, as well as a Lightning connector, and a stand which can support the weight of an iPhone.

The idea is to plug the Thinium Charge into the wall, pop out the Lightning dock, plug in an iPhone to the Lightning port, and have the iPhone supported on the wall. It's a clever design that works with the new iPhones, but I wouldn't recommend an iPad mini, which weighs too much and requires more power than the 1 Amp provided.

When the Thinium Charge isn't needed, it folds back to pocket size and you can throw it in your gadget bag or pocket. There's even a pull-out USB cable to let the device work as a Lighting sync cable for a Mac or PC. The one missing feature is a built-in battery that lets it act as a portable battery pack. Fortunately, Thinium has thought of this and the ReCharge will be coming soon and should have a 2100 mAh battery in a similarly thin form factor!

I don't envy the life of a case manufacturer. On the plus side, when Apple redesigns their gear, millions of customers have to upgrade their cases. But when the old iPhone looks just like the new iPhone, such as the iPhone 5 and the iPhone 5s, there isn't much need to get a new case. But now that the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus are out, with dramatically new form factors, new cases are a must.

The downside, however, is Apple's secrecy. It makes it hard for case makers to predict exactly how a case will work on the new device. Pretty much every case that comes in to iPhone Life for review, so far, has had to use leaked parts, rumors, and best guesses as the basis of their design. Sometimes that works, and sometimes it doesn't.

Case in point (no pun intended) is Cellairis. You'll recognize the name as they have brightly colored kiosks in many malls, full of cases for iPhones, Samsungs, and more. Perhaps their expertise with the Android side of the fence has helped them with the latest set of cases I received for the iPhone 6 Plus. They know how to build cases for big phones, unlike Apple-only providers. I tried the Cellairis Designer Case for large phones. It's a universal design, good for just about any smartphone 5.5-inches to 5.9-inches, including the iPhone 6 Plus. Because of its universal nature, there are openings all around, so every button is accessible, as are the ports. Rubberized straps keep the smartphone in place and a snap keeps the case closed. The duo-tone canvas material is comfortable and the slots for credit cards and ID are a nice touch. If you're going to carry around a large iPhone, you probably don't want to carry a wallet, too, so this one case suffices.

Their next case, the Trilogy Asphalt was iPhone 6-specific and hits the right notes. It offers protection, comfort, and access to ports and buttons, and the case has a lip that protects the screen. These are things I always look for, but I know that many Apple users also want to see that shiny Apple logo, and this case doesn't disappoint. There is a rounded rectangle cutout that reveals the logo. The case is a bit slippery, so be careful, but other than that, it's nice.

The third case, however, I wasn't happy with. The Paladdin is a two piece unit that includes a built-in screen protector. It looks like it's a Lifeproof or Otterbox competitor, but it is NOT waterproof. I struggled to open it and broke part of it in the process—and I'm pretty savvy about cases. This is one case that needs to go back to the drawing board, now that the iPhone 6 is in the wild.

The good thing about Cellairis is that you should be able to try their cases in person, at a kiosk near you. 

Automatic exposure (which determines how light or dark our images should be) is so convenient and accurate most of the time, but then there are those times moments when we end up with  overexposed or underexposed images that make us cringe. After all, our cameras are pretty advanced, but it's still impossible for them to recognize when we want our focal point darker (such when shooting silhouettes) or lighter. 

That’s why iOS 8 has put the control in our hands with Manual Exposure, making it much easier to get the images we want. The process is simple. Just tap your desired focal point and a vertical line with a sun should appear alongside your focus box. 

If the exposure is already set to your liking, great! If not, simply swipe the sun up to lighten your image or down to darken it. If you want to quickly revert back to the automatic settings, just tap elsewhere on the screen and it will refocus and automatically expose the image.

Don't forget to enter this weekend's Giveaway Contest! 

Here's how it works: Every other weekend we raffle off tons of great apps and accessories for FREE then announce the winners through iphonelife.com, Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. To enter, go to iPhoneLife.com/giveaways. If you win an app, we will email you the promo code. If you win an accessory, we will ask you for your mailing address.

This week's featured items are:

1. Toddy Smart Cloth: Retail Price $9.99

Toddy Gear was nice enough to send us these customized iPhone Life Toddy Smart Clothes and we want to share the love. These handy little clothes are great for cleaning your iPad, iPhone, or just about anything else!

2. LifeCharge InAir Battery Case & Wireless Charging for iPhone 5/5s: Retail Price $89.99

This 2000 mAh battery case provides sleek protection while retaining access to all of your buttons. The InAir Case charges via a convenient wireless charging pad. Simply insert your iPhone 5/5s into the InAir Power Case and place it on the wireless charging pad.  The charging pad automatically begins emitting a powerful boost in energy to your iPhone.

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 October 6!

In its mission to expand on an already substantial collection of mobile products, Linkedin launched a SlideShare app (Free) for iOS 8. The new app leans heavily on personalization and content that is relevant to you.

Personalization starts with a tailored feed. The feed algorithm picks up on your particular tastes, what your contacts like, and the popularity of presentations within your network.

Your profile consists of all of your contacts along with saved and uploaded content, broken down into categories. Categories can be organized into specific topics like social media, business, marketing, etc. 

Screen size plays an important role in the overall user experience for SlideShare. And the boost in screen real estate for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus certainly helped with the  "bold and beautiful" design that developers say they were aiming for.

Users will get to play with "SlideShares of the Day," a new feature for iOS 8 that places widgets in the Today section of the Notifications Center. It's also a characteristic you won't find in the Android version, which was released back in April.

You can download SlideShare Presentations from iTunes for free.

Buyers remorse. We've all been there. On Black Friday, I wanted an iPad mini with Retina display, but the deal on the iPad Air, with the same specs but a larger screen, made it the best buy (at BestBuy, naturally.) But I knew from my previous ownership of iPad minis and earlier iPads, that I was going to prefer the smaller form factor. Not only is the iPad mini $100 less (normally, except on that Black Friday!) but it's easier to transport. You can throw it in just about any bag or purse, even if it's in a case, whereas an iPad means I need a Man Purse, messenger bag, or backpack. I've dealt with my decision for almost a year, and I was okay with it. Until the Knomad mini arrived.

The Knomad Mini Portable Organizer  ($59.95) is an elegant take on a military attaché case. The material (canvas) and colors (dark olive drab, black, and brown) with leather and suede accents, and sophisticated attention to detail make it look like something out of World War II. There are compartments for business cards, index cards, or even an SD card. There are elastic straps for USB drives, cables, and chargers. There's a spot for a pen or stylus. Of course there's the compartment for the iPad mini, but you could also fit an iPhone in there. They even offer a battery pack that fits in nicely.

Speaking of the military symbolism, it reminds me of my bomber jacket from Avirex which has a map sewn into the lining with reward info in multiple languages. The Knomad has a unique serial number and directions for the safe return of the case (presumably with the gear inside.)

If I were to redesign the Knomad, I might prefer magnets or Velcro instead of snaps to close the case, and of course, I'd make a version for a full size iPad Air! Until then, I might have to downsize to an iPad mini to accommodate this new case!

Astronest (free) might be a familiar name to some of you. The original Astronest was a wildly popular browser-based MMORTS game, and many believe it represented the pinnacle of browser-based gaming. Reboots and sequels toAstronest failed to recapture the game in its former glory. So it wouldn’t be surprising if fans of the original view this new entry into the iTunes App Store with skepticism. It’s perfectly understandable. Thankfully, however, this time is different. Astronest on iOS is the game you knew and loved. If you’ve never played the original and you’re an RTS fanatic, you’re in for a treat.

Astronest is a real-time strategy game which uses action points (players of the original will remember them as turns, but the concept remains the same) to serve as players’ “energy” for doing tasks. One AP is gained per minute, and the maximum number of APs a player can save is increased as they level. So, what do players spend their APs on? So much. Astronest is not, despite its browser-based history, a cow clicker. This is a truly complex civilization-building strategy game. Players will have planets to maintain, buildings to upgrade, research in a dozen different fields to complete in order to gain new technology, and of course, fleets of space-going war ships to build in order to progress through campaigns and protect their own resources. 

The sheer level of customization possible means that no two Astronest civilizations or armies will be any other. There are thousands of different combinations of battleships, thousands of different hero/skill/profession combinations—the scope of this game is impressive.  Thankfully, teaching the player how to play is one of the game’s strongest selling points. The first several levels function as on-the-job training, as it were, with the game’s NPCs explaining each task the player needs to complete and with the various missions designed to move the player forward. There are ten stages, each with ten levels to play, so there are campaigns galore for those who wish to focus on that part of the game. More are in the works as well, according to the devs. But simply designing and perfecting one’s fleet can represent hours of play; there's also taking new planets, doing new research—Astronest offers an embarrassment of riches for strategy lovers. 

The game’s graphics range from 2D conversations with NPCs to 3D depictions of battles when the player takes on another fleet. They’re not the most innovative graphics in the App Store, not by a long shot, but they’re polished and sharp and look good on the Retina display. Astronest, like many great games in the strategy genre, doesn’t go out of its way to wow the player with icing like graphics and sound effects. What’s there gets the job done, and that’s about it. Where Astronest really delivers is gameplay itself, serving up a sprawling, complex universe in which a player will have to hang on by the skin of their teeth as they rebuild civilization from scratch.

This post is part of our daily tip series. Want to master your iPhone and iPad? Sign up here to get the tip of the day delivered right to your inbox.

Among the many new features of iOS 8 is grayscale mode. Why would you want your display to appear gray rather than in colors? There are two main reasons. First, for those who are color blind, items such as menus may be hard to distinguish if they rely on color to stand out from a background. Grayscale can make the display more readable for them. And second, if your battery is running low and you know that it will be a while before you'll have the opportunity to charge it, grayscale can extend battery life. 

You can turn on grayscale by going to Settings>General>Accessibility. In the resulting screen you'll see a section titled Vision. Turn on grayscale, and your display will be shades of gray. Of course, you can, at any point, turn colors back on by going back to the Accessibility screen and turning off grayscale. 

Interestingly, when you do a screen capture of grayscale, the resulting image is still colored. I had to take a photo of the screen for the first image above. And the image immediately above is misleading, because it shows grayscale turned on but the screen is still colored. In actuality, it will appear gray as soon as you turn on the setting.

This post is part of our daily tip series. Want to master your iPhone and iPad? Sign up here to get the tip of the day delivered right to your inbox.

With iOS 8, we finally got the ability to customize the interface by adding widgets to Notification Center. Now when you swipe down from the top of the screen to see the Today view in Notification Center, you have the opportunity to see many new items in addition to the standard ones that had been available in the past. New widgets you can add include sports scores, news, travel guides, calculator, dictionary and thesaurus, package tracking, task management, photos, and much more.

To use this feature, you need to have apps on your device that have an associated widget. Macworld has a great list of the best apps that have associated widgets. iMore also has a list of the best widgets.

You likely already have apps on your iPhone or iPad that have widgets. You simply need to turn them on. To do so, swipe down from the top of the screen to reveal Notification Center. In the Today view, scroll all the way down to the bottom, where you'll see an Edit button.

Tap the Edit button to view a list of the widgets that are already available. (You'll need to have opened the app at least once on your device in order for its widget to show up in the list.)

To add a widget, simply tap the green + icon at left of the items in the lower list. To remove a widget, tap the red - icon in the list at top. To change the order of the widgets in the list, tap and hold the parallel lines icon at right and then drag.

Click Done at top right, and you'll then see your new widgets in the Today view of Notification Center.

This post is part of our daily tip series. Want to master your iPhone and iPad? Sign up here to get the tip of the day delivered right to your inbox.

Can Apple read your mind? With iOS 8, it looks like it! Apple has caught up with Android and other platforms that offer a form of predictive Text called QuickType. This means, when composing text, your iOS device will suggest words that it thinks you want to use. While AutoCorrect guessed at a word, based on the letters you type, QuickType predicts what word you might type next based on the context of your message or document.

It's neat and a little scary. Just as AutoCorrect sparked Internet Memes like #IHateAutoCorrect this new grammatical Big Brother could be a step too far. Before you even type a response to a text message, iOS thinks it knows what you might want to say, based on the incoming message! For example, if asked if you want to have Chinese or Italian for dinner, QuickType could present buttons for "Chinese,""Italian," and "Something else." It's cool, but it could also be a little creepy!

Fortunately, you can go back to the "old days" of iOS 7 behavior by hiding the feature or turning it off completely by going to Settings>General>Keyboard, and turning off Predictive. Now, Apple won't put words in your mouth! In related news, check out this XKCD comic that shows how QuickType might finish famous movie lines!

I've been using an iDevice as my primary means of game consumption since the introduction of the iPhone in 2007. Since that time, I've see the landscape of iOS gaming change dramatically, but perhaps never more significantly than this year with the introduction of the iPhone 6 Plus alongside Apple's A8 chip and Metal interface. If Apple's iOS devices presented a challenge to consoles and dedicated handhelds alike before now, I would consider the iPhone 6 Plus the beginning of the end for the age of console-dominated gaming. 

Asphalt 8, running on iOS 8's Metal

While I'm not a big fan of the "Gamer" stereotype, (what with #GamerGate and all) the fact of the matter is that I have always played a lot of video games—as much as I can with a busy schedule—so the gamer moniker does apply. It is from hours and years of gaming experience that I can say: Apple's iPhone 6 Plus and iOS 8 constitute the best gaming ecosystem around, even though they've only recently been released to the public. With the introduction of the iPhone 6 Plus, Apple has effectively leveled the playing field and completely blurred the lines between what a handheld gaming system can be and what a console or PC offers. While the iPhone 6 Plus may not immediately steal the hearts and souls of dedicated console or PC gamers, it has the potential to.

I consider the iPhone 6 Plus to be such a disruptive force within the international gaming community that serious gamers will take note, and more developers of AAA, premium games will start to develop games for the next generation of gaming, which I believe is already being dominated by Apple's iOS and iDevices. While many of the old guard within the gaming community may still be in denial about the rise of iOS as the future of gaming, I think the writing is in the wall for those who have eyes to see, and it's never been more clearly visible than with the introduction of the ultimate portable game device, the iPhone 6 Plus.

Now let's take a moment and break down some of the main reasons why I see the iPhone 6 Plus as such a game changer for Apple and for the gaming community at large. I'll summarize some of the key points as to why the iPhone 6 Plus is the leading portable gaming device and points towards a future of iOS video gaming that's undoubtedly going to blow a lot of people's minds.

Portability

The iPhone 6 Plus is perfect for gaming on the go, but it's definitely not a device that's just geared towards casual gamers. The graphics and processor speed make the iPhone 6 Plus a device that will attract core and hardcore gamers alike, and it's the perfect size for extended play sessions. In fact, many core gamers will already be used to holding a gaming instrument about this size in their hands for prolonged periods, either from playing on devices like the popular and portable Playstation Vita, or from long hours spent holding a console game controller. Additionally, by pairing the iPhone 6 Plus with a peripheral console-caliber game controller such as the Stratus by SteelSeries, gamers can have an unobstructed view of the iPhone 6 Plus's large and magnificent screen. And if the screen size of the 6 Plus isn't big enough, it's a simple enough matter to stream gameplay to a larger monitor, which is perfect for involved multiplayer action like the soon-to-be-released MOBA, Vainglory or the amazing FPS, Modern Combat 5: Blackout.

A Beast of a Battery

I migrated to the iPhone 6 Plus from an iPhone 5, so not only have I noticed a huge leap in graphics and display resolution with the 6 Plus, I've also seen first hand, the incredible improvement in battery life that the 6 Plus delivers over an iPhone that is now two years old. It's been an absolute pleasure to be able to go through the day without constantly feeling like I needed a power source nearby or that I need to be ultra frugal with power usage. I was astounded to observe that I could literally spend hours upon hours upon hours (a full day even!) playing graphic intensive games without depleting my battery! Battery life has been even more impressive when doing less power draining tasks, like streaming Spotify or surfing the latest online headlines. In terms of battery performance, I know of no other gaming device that can rival the benchmarks of the iPhone 6 Plus and it's huge 2,915mAh battery.

Infinity Blade III screenshot

Graphics and Frame Rate

I've got mixed feelings about the graphics and resolution of the iPhone 6 Plus when it comes to gaming. Without getting overly technical, the problem with the iPhone 6 Plus lies in the fact that because of its pixel density and Retina HD screen resolution, the 6 Plus requires more GPU and CPU processing power to push more pixels. Further more, the iPhone 6 Plus renders graphics at a higher resolution than it actually displays, as it has to shrink the graphics of games back down slightly to accommodate its screen size. What this can translate into is incredibly detailed graphics, rendered at a slower frame rate. This should change, as more and more games adopt the Metal framework as opposed to the former OpenGL ES standard. Right now some games look pretty choppy on the 6 Plus. Case in point, I recently tried playing Real Racing 3 on the 6 Plus before they updated the game and made it more iOS 8 and iPhone 6 Plus friendly. RR3 is a game renowned for its incredible graphics and gameplay. Well, not only was the game glitchy as the dickens (to the point I couldn't even play it) but its frame rate was so poor I felt like I was playing the game on an iPhone 4 or something ancient like that, instead of on Apple's flagship iPhone. However, the developers of Real Racing 3 recently updated the game to offer support for the iPhone 6 Plus and now it runs almost as smoothly as the customized Lamborghini Gallardo I was blazing around the track in.

It's still a little disappointing to realize that even though the iPhone 6 Plus has the greatest graphic potential, it is hobbled by both a current lack of game developer support and the fact that it has to size its impressive graphic capabilities down to fit its screen size. I'm anticipating that before long, developers will adapt to the way the frames per second are affected on the iPhone 6 Plus and update and adjust their games accordingly. It kind of stinks to have the most impressive screen resolution available on a mobile gaming device that displays choppy frame rates, but that's just the way it is for now. The fact of the matter is that even with this apparent throttling of graphic performance, the 6 Plus still outshines and outperforms the competition overall. Obviously if game developers don't get this issue ironed out on this version of the 6 Plus, it will serve as extra incentive for iPhone 6 Plus owners to upgrade when the next iteration of the device is made available, most likely sometime in 2015.

What about Metal?

I mentioned Metal, Apple's new graphics processing tool. While Metal will potentially bring major advancements in terms of what is possible and what we can expect from the iPhone 6 Plus, at present only a handful of titles actually support this new framework. Those that do look and play amazingly. Playing games that already offer Metal support, I didn't notice the frame rate lag that I did with other premium titles that hadn't integrated iOS 8 and Metal into their programming yet. While it remains to be seen, I am expecting that as more games adapt to Metal, some of these early issues with glitchy game play and slow frame rates may be rectified, or at least rendered less noticeable.

Modern Combat 5 takes full advantage of iOS 8's Metal

The Future of iOS gaming

Apple's iOS ecosystem, in tandem with the iPhone 6 Plus, is poised to revolutionize modern gaming the way that the original iPhone revolutionized the smartphone industry. iOS is already the most popular and profitable mobile gaming platform—it seems Android users aren't willing to spend money on games (or devices for that matter) like iPhone and iPad users are. We've only seen the tip of the iceberg in terms of the world class games and the professional levels of competition that the iPhone 6 Plus opens the door for. As more iOS games offer Twitch support, and high quality multiplayer experiences, I won't be the least bit surprised if we start to see iOS gaming represented at the highest levels of massively popular (and profitable) eSporting events. As more AAA titles (such as Bioshock for instance) continue to become available for the iPhone 6 Plus, from developers who recognize the potential of the device for gaming and are willing to buck the ever-so-popular Freemium model of gameplay by charging a premium price for premium content, I expect to see more and more core gamers, gamers who may have previously turned up their noses at iOS, embracing iOS as the legitimate gaming platform that it is. I'd have to say, the future of iOS gaming looks bright indeed.

With previous app releases, the Al Jazeera Network has put a high emphasis on engaging the public with compelling global news presented in a relatable way. They've now created a new app specifically geared toward delivering news while cultivating a social media community, AJ+. To that end, they've recently released an app for the iPhone as the centerpiece of their social media outreach. The AJ+ app (free) is designed to give the user current and breaking news stories in a way that is intended to engage on a visual level and through the user's personal social media connections. This is done in a two-pronged approach via "stacks" and "cards." 

A user opens AJ+ and after the initial setup, they enter the dashboard, referred to as the stacks. This contains all of the available news and other content. Each news subject contains six different cards, for example the video card, which can contain quick news clips that range in duration from six seconds up to seven-minute long mini-documentaries. Another example is the art card that combines key information points with standout graphics in one image that you can share on your social networks. The AJ+ app is definitely one for those who spend a great deal of time utilizing Twitter and Facebook. This does lead to one flaw spotted soon after the app's release, which is that you can experience hiccups in posting your opinion. Also, if you don't initially log in with your social media info, you can access all the information but your sharing capabilities are limited. The app does give you a lot overall to indulge in. the cards and stacks system looks daunting at first but is easy to navigate after a few moments of swiping right to left. Their system is definitely innovative for news-related apps and adds a twist to what the field currently delivers. AJ+ is a brisk new app with a bright outlook ahead. 

iPhone Life rating: 4 out of 5 stars