Apple this week added a new selection of products to its online store, including the First Alert Onelink smoke and carbon monoxide alarm, a bike mount kit for the iPhone 11 Pro, and two Eve smart home accessories.
Available in battery powered or hardwired versions for $119.95, the Onelink is a HomeKit-compatible alarm that rings an 85 dB siren and pushes a notification to your iPhone or other device in the event smoke or carbon monoxide is detected in your home. You can also test the alarm or silence false alarms from your iPhone.
For cyclists, the Quad Lock Bike Mount Kit can be used to attach an iPhone 11 Pro to a bike's stem or handlebars. The kit is priced at $69.95.
Last, Apple is now carrying the HomeKit-enabled Eve Energy smart plug for $39.95 and the Eve Water Guard for $79.95. The latter can detect water leaks and alert you via push notification, a 100 dB siren, and a red flashing warning light.
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:54 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple turns 50 this year, and its CEO Tim Cook has promised to celebrate the milestone. The big day falls on April 1, 2026.
"I've been unusually reflective lately about Apple because we have been working on what do we do to mark this moment," Cook told employees today, according to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman. "When you really stop and pause and think about the last 50 years, it makes your heart ...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 7:47 am PST by Joe Rossignol
While the iOS 26.3 Release Candidate is now available ahead of a public release, the first iOS 26.4 beta is likely still at least a week away. Following beta testing, iOS 26.4 will likely be released to the general public in March or April.
Below, we have recapped known or rumored iOS 26.3 and iOS 26.4 features so far.
iOS 26.3
iPhone to Android Transfer Tool
iOS 26.3 makes it easier...
Tuesday February 3, 2026 12:45 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple recently acquired Israeli startup Q.ai for close to $2 billion, according to Financial Times sources. That would make this Apple's second-biggest acquisition ever, after it paid $3 billion for the popular headphone maker Beats in 2014.
This is also the largest known Apple acquisition since the company purchased Intel's smartphone modem business and patents for $1 billion in 2019....
Thursday February 5, 2026 12:22 pm PST by Joe Rossignol
Apple plans to announce the iPhone 17e on Thursday, February 19, according to Macwelt, the German equivalent of Macworld.
The report, citing industry sources, is available in English on Macworld.
Apple announced the iPhone 16e on Wednesday, February 19 last year, so the iPhone 17e would be unveiled exactly one year later if this rumor is accurate. It is quite uncommon for Apple to unveil...
Friday February 6, 2026 3:06 pm PST by Juli Clover
In the iOS 26.4 update that's coming this spring, Apple will introduce a new version of Siri that's going to overhaul how we interact with the personal assistant and what it's able to do.
The iOS 26.4 version of Siri won't work like ChatGPT or Claude, but it will rely on large language models (LLMs) and has been updated from the ground up.
Upgraded Architecture
The next-generation...
The kit includes a bike mount and a case, which you can purchase separately. That's good because when you get a new phone, you only need a new case ($30), but not a new mount. I've used the same mount on my road bike with 4 different iPhones and well over 1500 miles of riding with an iPhone mounted. The mount is very secure, it's quick and easy to remove the phone from the mount if you want to stop and take a picture, then remount the phone and continue your ride. The case, by itself, is thin and fairly light but very protective (not Otterbox-level, though). I've dropped my phone in the quad lock case quite a few times and the phone has never been damaged (nor has the case).
All of this wouldn't mean anything if it wasn't useful to have the phone mounted. But it is, in my experience. I can open Google Maps and use the bike trail layer to find my way around. I can use one of the many GPS tracking apps, like Map My Ride, to track my ride and do all the things a dedicated GPS bike computer would do. And if I'm being stupid, I can read an incoming text while biking--but please don't be stupid like me.
Quad lock isn't cheap, but it's well-designed and well-made. If funds are tight, Amazon has cheaper no-name bike mounts, but take care to read the reviews first to get a sense of how secure they are. You don't want to risk losing your iPhone to save a few bucks by buying a cheap mount.
Before buying Quad Lock from the Apple Store, I'd look at Quad Lock's own website. Sometimes they have $10 off coupons if you sign up for their emails (which you can unsubscribe from after using the coupon, if you want).
I have the quad lock kit for my Xs Max. I use it on my mountain bike and it is very secure. I've been over very rough terrain and jumps with no issues on my hardtail.
I can also vouch for the Quadlock kit. I have tried a variety of bike mount options and this is by far my favorite. The case is slim but provides good protection, and I use a Quadlock mount on my mountain bike while riding single track and have never felt like the phone would come loose. Have even ridden in the rain and used the "poncho" and it kept the phone dry.
I own a quad lock ever since I got the iPhone 7 three and a half years ago and I wholeheartedly agree that it is a great mount. I am curious though, how well does Face ID work with a bike helmet and glasses when mounted on the quad lock?
I can't vouch for glasses but it works perfectly with a helmet on, when i look down it's the perfect angle. I'm so glad touch ID is gone in favour of face ID. it works so much better. My hands were always too dirty or sweaty for it to ever work on a bike.
