All posts tagged: magsafe

Hermès Now Sells ,250+ MagSafe Chargers Wrapped in Calfskin Leather

Hermès Now Sells $1,250+ MagSafe Chargers Wrapped in Calfskin Leather

Published by skeptic

Luxury brand Hermès has a new series of MagSafe-compatible chargers for the iPhone and Apple Watch, with prices that are higher than the cost of an iPhone 17 Pro Max. The $1,250 Paddock Solo Charger is a magnetic charger that works with a single device, while the $1,750 Paddock Duo can charge an Apple Watch and iPhone at the same time. The $1,750 Paddock Yoyo is also a dual charger, but it has a USB-C cable that wraps around the charger for travel purposes. Hermès also has bundles that pair the chargers with a Grand Paddock or Petit Paddock case, with prices ranging from $3,725 to $5,150. Each of the charging products has an H logo over the magnetic charging spot for alignment purposes, and they’ve been “meticulously encased in Swift calfskin” with saddle stitching. While these chargers cost thousands of dollars, Hermès took a cue from Apple and did not bundle them with a power adapter. Each charger requires a 20W or higher power adapter, but the company does throw in a free 3.3-foot …

iFixit Tears Down the iPhone 17e, Discovers MagSafe Upgrade Path for iPhone 16e Owners

iFixit Tears Down the iPhone 17e, Discovers MagSafe Upgrade Path for iPhone 16e Owners

Published by skeptic

Repair site iFixit today took apart the iPhone 17e, which is the new low-cost iPhone that Apple launched last Wednesday. The ‌iPhone 17e‌ is almost identical to the iPhone 16e in design, but it does include a MagSafe back panel that supports ‌MagSafe‌ and faster Qi charging than the iPhone 16e. When disassembling the ‌iPhone 17e‌, iFixit found that the ‌MagSafe‌ panel for the device is the same size as the panel for the 16e, and the two are interchangeable. You can take a back panel from an ‌iPhone 17e‌ and put it on an iPhone 16e, adding ‌MagSafe‌ to an iPhone 16e. That could be good news for iPhone users who bought an iPhone 16e and don’t want to upgrade just to get ‌MagSafe‌. iPhone 16e customers may be able to get their hands on an ‌iPhone 17e‌ back panel to make a ‌MagSafe‌ swap, which iFixit says is a big win for repairability. There was a downside with the ‌MagSafe‌ swap because the iPhone 16e doesn’t have the built-in software that recognizes ‌MagSafe‌ …

Apple iPhone 17e hands-on: New chip, more storage memory, and yes, MagSafe

Apple iPhone 17e hands-on: New chip, more storage memory, and yes, MagSafe

Published by skeptic

When Apple launched the first “e” model iPhone, the iPhone 16e, tech reviewers (me included) let out a collective: “WHY?” It wasn’t about battery life, or the chip powering it (both were pretty great), and no one was really phased about the device’s archaic design. It was the lack of MagSafe, Apple’s magnetic, wireless power charging tech that makes it easy to slap various accessories onto the phone. It seemed like such a weird omission. Ditching MagSafe probably cut some production costs for Apple, but it meant phone owners would not buy any of the accessories from Apple’s rich MagSafe ecosystem. I’m pleased to report that this year’s Apple budget phone, the iPhone 17e, fixes this issue. Same old design, with one big difference MagSafe is here, and so is the Clear Case with MagSafe. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable Apple sent me an iPhone 17e unit for review, and I was happily able to use my Apple Wallet and magnetic chargers with it. Apple also sent me a Clear Case with MagSafe, and while …

Apple iPhone 17e Review: MagSafe Makes a Difference

Apple iPhone 17e Review: MagSafe Makes a Difference

Published by skeptic

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu Apple iPhone 17e, main camera. One new perk over the iPhone 16e, driven by the A19 chip, is the ability to turn on or off Portrait blur for photos after you’ve captured them. So, if you wish you snapped a photo in Portrait mode, you can enable it after the fact. Speaking of, Apple’s Portrait photos look more realistic and natural than the results from the Google Pixel 10a, though the Pixel triumphs in low-light scenes. Low light generally is one area where this iPhone struggles compared to its peers. Not necessarily in sharpness, but when there’s any motion. I tried to snap a picture of my brother’s cat indoors, and Night mode kept kicking in, and I ended up with a long-exposure photo of a blurry cat. The Pixel 10a better understands when there’s motion and doesn’t kick in its night mode as often, so my cat photos were impeccably sharp. Overall, whether it’s day or night, the iPhone 17e sometimes delivers sharper photos than the Pixel 10a, but the color …

Apple Debuts the 9 iPhone 17E With MagSafe, and It Comes in Pink

Apple Debuts the $599 iPhone 17E With MagSafe, and It Comes in Pink

Published by skeptic

An iPhone 17E is the followup to last year’s $599 iPhone 16E. Apple/Jeffrey Hazelwood/CNET Apple on Monday unveiled its newest budget phone, the iPhone 17E. Like last year, it starts at $599 (£599, AU$999), but it comes with 256GB of base storage — twice last year’s entry-level iPhone 16E. Perhaps the biggest upgrade: the iPhone 17E supports MagSafe, so you can charge wirelessly faster and attach accessories like stands, wallets and cases. Apple’s latest-generation A19 chip powers the iPhone 17E, which is the same one found in the baseline iPhone 17. But there’s a small caveat: The iPhone 17E has a quad-core GPU, versus five cores on the regular iPhone 17. Apple’s C1X cellular modem is also on board, which the company says is twice as fast as the C1 on the iPhone 16E.  The iPhone 17E has a 48-megapixel rear camera and, with sensor cropping, offers 2x magnification. Although the camera hardware may be similar to last year’s, adding an A19 chip to the 17E could boost image quality. There’s also a 12-megapixel selfie camera, but no …

18 Best Wireless Chargers, All Tested and Reviewed (2026)

18 Best Wireless Chargers, All Tested and Reviewed (2026)

Published by skeptic

Other Wireless Chargers We Tested There are a lot of wireless chargers. Here are a few more we like, but for one reason or another don’t warrant a place above. Photograph: Simon Hill Krafted Couch Wireless Charger for $52: I thought this wireless charger that’s designed to be draped over the arm of your couch was a great idea when I saw it, but the ridges failed to keep it in place on my velvety couch, so it kept slipping down the side. The silicone finish with the Krafted logo is also a bit ugly. It’s just a silicone mat with a magnetic charger inside, though there is a fairly generous 6.6-foot (2-meter) cable, and it is Qi2 rated. If you’re always rooting around for a charger and one of the colors blends well with your furniture, it might be a good solution for you. Einova Eggtronic Charging Stone for $70: Made with 100 percent solid marble or stone—you can choose from a variety. Every single pick in this guide looks very much like a …

This MagSafe wallet is nearly perfect, but there’s one design choice I can’t get past

This MagSafe wallet is nearly perfect, but there’s one design choice I can’t get past

Published by skeptic

Veger X5 5000mAh MagSafe wallet ZDNET’s key takeaways The Veger X5 is available now for $59. It’s a MagSafe charger, wallet, and tracker with Find My in one. It can only hold a few cards at a time. Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. I am an unapologetic MagSafe fanatic. If it has a circular magnet on it, I want it. I’ve used many MagSafe accessories in my time, including wallets, batteries, and other devices with tracking. But I’ve never used one with all three until now. Also: These are the closest things to AirTags for Android users (and better in some ways) The Veger X5 MagSafe wallet and battery is a great match for someone like me. It has a 5,000 mAh MagSafe battery, a kickstand, a wallet that can hold two or three cards (more on that in a moment), and support for Apple’s Find My. I used the Veger X5 for about a week, and it’s like the mother ship calling me home. Except for one complaint — and it’s a …

Best MagSafe wallets of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

Best MagSafe wallets of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed

Published by skeptic

As our phones become more useful with digital wallets that let you pay, present identification, and even travel, traditional wallets may eventually be a thing of the past. However, we’re not completely ready to ditch the billfold. There are still incidentals that you may not be able to present virtually, and plenty of places still don’t accept services like Google Pay and Apple Pay.  MagSafe wallets securely attach to your phone with magnets, making them easy to detach for wireless charging or to change your phone’s look. Plus, they’re a fairly affordable mobile accessory. The best MagSafe wallets right now are ESR’s Aura Wallet, Satechi’s MagSafe wallet, and more.  Get more in-depth ZDNET tech coverage: Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome and Chromium browsers. What’s the best MagSafe wallet right now?  ZDNET went hands-on with some of the most popular and innovative MagSafe wallet options, testing each for its practicality, durability, versatility, and price.  Our pick for the best MagSafe wallet overall is the ESR Aura MagSafe wallet and stand for its versatile …

Apple Releases New Firmware Update for iPhone Air MagSafe Battery

Apple Releases New Firmware Update for iPhone Air MagSafe Battery

Published by skeptic

Apple this week released another firmware update for the iPhone Air MagSafe Battery, but there are no specific details about what it includes. The latest iPhone Air MagSafe Battery firmware has a version number of 8B32, up from 8B25. In the Settings app on the iPhone Air, the new firmware is listed as version 101.0, while the previous firmware was listed as version 99.0 in the app. New Firmware: 101.0 (Version) / 8B32 (Build) Previous Firmware: 99.0 (Version) / 8B25 (Build) Apple does not share release notes for iPhone Air MagSafe Battery firmware updates, so it is unclear what is new. However, it would be reasonable to assume the update includes performance and stability improvements, and/or bug fixes. iPhone Air MagSafe Battery firmware updates automatically install in the background over time, while the accessory is charged and actively being used. You can check the version number of the ‌MagSafe‌ Battery’s firmware by attaching it to an ‌iPhone Air‌, opening the Settings app on the device, and tapping on General → About → ‌iPhone Air‌ ‌MagSafe‌ …

Finally, a MagSafe wallet that doesn’t feel like a scam (especially at this price)

Finally, a MagSafe wallet that doesn’t feel like a scam (especially at this price)

Published by skeptic

ZDNET’s key takeaways The UAG Metropolis Wallet is a MagSafe wallet and stand made of vegan leather for $45. It holds up to five cards and cash, has a kickstand, is RFID blocking, and features pockets. It’s only available in Black. more buying choices Now until Jan. 1, get 25% off with the code FINAL25 at checkout on UAG’s direct website. This drops the Metropolis wallet down to $34.  As ZDNET’s MagSafe expert, I’ve tried many magnetic accessories, from wallets, grips, and stands to notebooks, battery packs, and beyond. That’s why when one catches my eye or edges out something else I’ve tried, I’m writing about it.  Also: My favorite MagSafe wallet stand is the ideal iPhone companion There is no shortage of MagSafe wallet options on the market, but the UAG Metropolis wallet is worth calling out as an affordable luxury option — even edging out other competitors I’ve tried with a similar capacity, look and feel.  UAG’s wallet is made of vegan leather that’s soft and supple. It features a few card slots and a …