Are Your AirPods Too Loose? Here Is A Great Fix

I have a love / hate relationship with my Apple Airpods. I love how they sound, I love the battery life, and I love how easy they are to pair and switch devices. I hate how they fit my ears. As someone with (apparently) large ear canals, they are very loose and fall out easily.

I didn't want to give up the convenience of my Airpods, so I started looking for a way to make them fit better. Luckily, I found a solution: Spigen TEKA RA200 Airpods Earhooks Cover for Apple Airpods. These are comfortable, silicone covers with a small "hook" that help keep the airpods secure in your ears.

Easy and Effective - And They Come With Two Sizes

These TEKA covers are easy to put on and very comfortable to wear for hours (the silicone is soft and pliable, while providing enough tension on your ears to keep them in place. They are also perfectly designed to fit on the Airpods without covering any of the sound ports or ear sensors, so they don't impair performance at all.

Each set of these TEKA covers includes two sizes (small and large) so you can choose the ones that fit your ears best (and you can give the ones you don't use to someone else, if you want). Pretty cool.

Only One Annoyance

The only issue I have with these is that you can't put the Airpods in their charging case while the TEKA covers are in place, since there is not enough room in the charging case when the covers are on. This isn't a design flaw in the covers - it's just the reality of how Apple designed the charging case.

What that means is that you need to remove the covers to charge the Airpods. That is not a big deal, since they can be removed and reinstalled very easily - however, you'll need to make sure you keep the covers in a safe place during the charging process so you don't lose them. I bought a spare pair of covers and keep them in a snack-sized Ziploc bag in my laptop bag, just to make sure I don't get stranded without the covers. If you have a better solution for keeping track of them, I'd love to hear it.

That aside, I unreservedly recommend the Spigen TEKA RA200 Airpods Earhooks Cover for Apple Airpods.

CardNinja is a great minimalist tool

As the year begins, I am looking for ways to move gradually toward a more minimalist lifestyle. I recently ran across an item that can help - it's called the CardNinja and it is designed to add a wallet-like pocket on the back of your smartphone so you can slim down what you carry.

The CardNinja attaches to the back of your phone (or directly to your phone case) with some strong, yet safe adhesive. It holds fast, but can be removed without damaging your phone or leaving behind a sticky residue.

CardNinja has a flexible (stretchy) pouch on it and will hold 6-8 cards and some folded cash without interfering with the use of your phone. The profile is slim, so you can still put your phone in your pocket or purse and barely notice that the CardNinja is on there. Check out my gallery for some pictures.

I started out with a sort of teal-colored version and just ordered a black one so it will blend in a bit more in a business environment (there is a wide variety of color and designs to choose from).

It you're looking to slim down what you carry and possibly do away with your wallet, check out the CardNinja.

The Best Battery Case for iPhones

I don't often declare "bests" when it comes to gadgets, but I have tried a whole slew of battery cases for the iPhone series of phones, and I believe I've found an excellent choice. It's called the "BoostCase" and it is way less bulky and obtrusive than some of the alternatives (such as Mophie and other "battery jackets.")

I first started using a BoostCase when I had an iPhone 5 - it was purple, and I loved it. I've since used BoostCase battery cases on an iPhone 6 Plus and my current phone, which is an iPhone 6s (my last two were black).

What's the big deal?

First, let me tell you about my relationship with battery cases:

• I like to use a case on my phone.
• When I travel, I often run out of power on my phone and want an extended battery.
• I don't want to put up with a bulky batter case all the time, but I also don't like changing cases or carrying multiple cases around.
• I also need to have the battery case handy when I need it - and that is often not predictable.

The BoostCase works within all of those parameters. This is a two-part case.

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• One part functions like a normal case and is thin so I can leave it on all the time (that's the bit on the right).
• The second part is a battery 'slice' that attacked to the normal case very securely, plugs into the Lightning port on my phone and has enough juice to recharge my phone at least once (that's on the left).

Yes, I know Apple just released their own battery case. Yes, I know there are a lot of options out there. But I'd venture to say that if you try the BoostCase, you'll be happy.

By the way, it comes with a microUSB cable (you can charge and sync through it), as well as a tiny adapter so you can plug thicker headphones in when the battery slice is attached.

If you're looking to boost the battery life of your iPhone, check out the BoostCase line of products.

5 Websites That Will Make Your Life Easier

As I move through life, I like to find easier ways of doing monotonous, frustrating, or time-consuming things. In particular, I like things I can do from my phone, or my iPad when I have a few minutes to spare.

If you think picking up the phone to place a pizza order is too old-school, then you'll be delighted to know there are an abundance of websites that cater to your daily needs. Life is hectic enough, so take a weight off your shoulders by letting technology do the work. Whether you need to pass an upcoming test or are craving Ben & Jerry's at 2am, these websites have you covered:

Ship Items From Home

If you hate standing in line, you probably dread going to the post office. Good news: the United States Postal Service lets you ship items without ever setting foot in a post office. You can get shipping supplies for free online and have them sent directly to your home, then you can package up your items and schedule a free package pickup from the official U.S Postal Service website. You simply fill out an online form, choose the time and date of the pickup and include the weight or amount of your packages. Keep in mind that you can only schedule pickups Monday through Saturday and that same-day pickup is not available after 2 p.m. on the day of the pickup. Still, it's a small price to pay to avoid spending your precious free time at the post office.

Practice Your Driving Skills Online

I've got a couple of teens working on their driving permits / driver's licenses right now. Who can forget that well-loved rite of passage? OK... maybe it's not well-loved, but it doesn't have to be painful either. Online driving tests can help you practice your skills behind the wheel on days when you aren't able to convince your parents to take you for a spin. However, knowing how to drive a car is just one part of the driving exam everyone must endure and the written test is the first step toward getting that shiny new license. Free online permit practice tests are available, and you can choose the one specific to your state to prepare for the real thing come test day. Stop wasting your time memorizing the DMV manual and instead improve your knowledge with interactive practice tests.

Place Late Night Delivery Orders

Ever get the urge for a late night snack but don't feel like going out? Nighttime Nosh may be just what you're looking for. It's a late night delivery service (open until 4 a.m. on Friday, Saturday and Sunday) delivers beer and wine (subject to ID verification, of course), ice cream, personal care items, and even party supplies. This is the Internet at its finest, ladies and gents. Unfortunately, this amazing service is currently only available in Tempe, Arizona, but don't lose hope! You can still order food at any hour of the day with GrubHub, a website that finds late night delivery restaurants near you. And if you live in the Hollywood area, Pink Dot can deliver everything from groceries to booze straight to your door.

Skip Waiting on Hold

Everyone hates waiting on hold. Now you don't have to with FastCustomer. This amazingly useful website has a customer service agent call you when you're next in line. The site has over 3,000 companies on its list and, with a simple click of a button, lets you claim your spot. You can also view the approximate wait time of a business, the average minutes on hold per day for a particular company and its customer rating. Additionally, if you own a smartphone you can download the Fast Customer app or text a company's name to (936) CALL-PLS to take advantage of this free service.

Set An Alarm Clock on Your Computer

Lost your phone? Don't want to buy an alarm clock? Have access to a computer? Well then, you're in luck. Online Clock is a free service that simulates an alarm clock, complete with radio functions and a digital display. The website also lets you set a timer, stopwatch and countdown. And unlike traditional digital alarm clocks, you can set a custom background which includes options like rain, fireplace and lava lamp. If you're still not convinced, consider this alarm clock your ideal wake up call. Chances are, your computer is far away from your bed, far enough away that you'll be forced to get up if you want to turn your alarm off.

I hope these ideas are helpful. I'm getting back into the swing of things and plan more frequent posts here including more productivity tips like these, Some info on smartwatches (including the Apple Watch), and some camping gadgets I've been experimenting with. Stay tuned!

Get Work Done Even While Out of the Office

While most of us typically get our work done in the office, sometimes you just can’t be at your desk (or you choose not to be).

From getting your car fixed, to taking care of your sick child to traveling on a business trip, you often have to find ways to be productive in remote locations. Fortunately, modern technology can turn your kitchen table into a work station, and a coffee shop or auto repair shop lobby into a conference room.

Tablets and large-format phones like the iPhone 6 or iPhone 6 Plus

To stay current with your work even when out of the office, you need an easy-to-use mobile device. Invest in a tablet or a smartphone so you can email, browse the Internet and call clients and co-workers. For example, the iPhone 6 features a 5.5-inch screen that makes it easier to read documents and type out emails. If you want to get an even larger screen, the iPhone 6 Plus is a great option. I find that with my iPhone 6 Plus I can get almost as much work done as I can with a tablet. If Android is more your speed, consider the Samsung Galaxy Note, which I think is one of the best Android "phablets" available right now.

When buying a mobile device, you also should consider the coverage the carrier provides, along with your expected usage to make sure they are aligned. For instance, if you are a heavy data user and know you'll be out of WiFi range much of the time, take a look at T-Mobile. They have designed their network with cell towers closer together so that places with more people have more coverage. This means that no matter where you are working, chances are good that you will be able to connect to the Internet. The bigger deal is they offer packages with unlimited data, as well as allowing you to stream music for "free" over their data network.

In contrast, if you do have data limits on your mobile phone plan, you'll need to find a way to conserve that data as you work outside of your home or office. For these times, you can download a Free Wi-Fi Finder app so you can locate an area to work without using all your data. The best part about this app is that you can search by geography, or by type of location. This means if you need a cup of coffee while you work, the app can search only for cafés and let you know the closest place to work.

Microsoft Office 365

When it comes to getting work done on the go, nothing beats a program like Microsoft Office 365. A one-year subscription costs $99 for five devices including your smartphone and tablet. The program is cloud-based so it gives you instant access to your work email, video conferencing, file sharing and much more. That doesn't mean you have to be connected to use it - it will let you install Office on your computer and use it offline, as well, and the license includes free usage on mobile devices and tablets.

If your work involves reading and editing a lot of documents, Microsoft Office 365's Word app for iOS, Android or Windows Phone provides a mobile-friendly presentation of your data so it is easier to read on mobile devices. The same is true of the other mobile apps for Excel, OneNote and PowerPoint. Plus, the PowerPoint option includes a presenter view that lets you see your notes while your remote audience looks at each slide. This allows you to easily conduct powerful PowerPoint presentations from your tablet or smartphone while working from home or a hotel room.

One other cool note: an Office 365 subscription also includes access to OneDrive, which is Microsoft's cloud storage service. Even better: Microsoft is in the process of upgrading all personal OneDrive accounts to 10TB of storage - for all practical purposes, it's unlimited. Not a bad deal at all.

Google+ Hangouts

Sometimes you have to check in with your co-workers or your employer while you are away from the office. To do this, download Google + Hangouts for chatting, video conferencing and calling options. This extension lets you group chat and share photos as well as connect on a call with up to 10 of your co-workers. You can even record your meeting if you need to review it later. Hangouts also allows you to share screens with each other, which is ideal if you need to share a project or presentation.

There are a lot of other options that can help with productivity, such as Evernote, Skype, Facetime, etc. Which ones are your favorites? Share your thoughts in the comments.