Predictions for 2015

I’m always skeptical when it comes to accessories for iOS devices that add things whether it is a microphone, an extra lens for the camera, cases that add wallets, etc… The whole point of the iPhone for me was to have less. I got rid of my camera, video camera, handheld video games, and when my bank signs on to Apple Pay, I’ll lose the wallet. So when I got an Olloclip for Christmas I was worried about how much I would use it and if it was worth carrying these extra lenses with me.

Granted, I’m only a few days in, but so far the photos are worth it and it’s not a huge pain to carry. It’s not something I would carry every day as the camera on the iPhone is fine for everyday shots, but when you know you’ll have the chance to snap some great shots it’s well worth carrying the Olloclip. Like it’s original lens kit for iPhone 4/4S the “*4-in-1 for iPhone 6*”:http://www.smalldog.com/product/86350/olloclip-4-in-1-lens-solution-for-iphone-6-6-plus-silver-black includes a fisheye lens, wide angle, and underneath both lenses it has a Macro 10x and 15x. These are great for capturing shots I never even thought of.

The fisheye allows you to capture more of your surroundings and of course gives that beautiful effect. Wide angle doesn’t affect the actual photo but still captures more of what’s around you. I really like using the wide angle lens to take panoramic shots…it creates a huge photo great for landscapes. Then the macro lens captures detail I didn’t know was possible with the iPhone. For instance, I took a picture of the ice during our recent thaw and you can see the air bubbles and other imperfections which made for a beautiful photo. Even a simple shot of the Lego I got for Christmas came to life.

Ok, enough of my ranting how amazing it is. What’s not amazing about it? Well not much but some small things for sure. The pluses I will note heavily outweigh the negatives, in my opinion. For instance, this version for iPhone 6 works on both rear and front facing camera. Which leads me into the negative. In doing that it covers the light sensor, so if you have your phone set to auto brightness it will automatically think it’s night and turn your screen down. It also makes hitting the effects within the camera app, such as HDR and timer, difficult to hit. You also can’t use a case with these attachments in use. I would imagine that for those using a LifeProof or Otterbox case this would cause quite a bit of hassle.

Overall a great accessory for those who love their iPhone’s camera but want to make it even better.

_Dear Friends,_

Happy New Year to each and every Kibbles reader! 2014 is in the books and we look forward to an exciting 2015. We already know that there will be some great new products from Apple this new year with the Apple Watch scheduled to be released in the spring and we also know that Apple has been working hard on a variety of other new products. We are also entering Small Dog Electronics’ 20th anniversary year and it is hard to believe that we have been around that long. I know that when I started the company in my garage, I had no idea that we would still be providing Apple products and accessories two decades later.

We have decided to concentrate our marketing efforts during January to center around the Martin Luther King, Jr. national holiday with the focus on “Celebrate Diversity”.  At Small Dog Electronics we are firm believers that diversity brings strength. No color, race, religion, gender, or sexual orientation separates us. We are truly all equal members of the human family. This has been a core belief for the company for our 20 years! Several years ago we ran a series of “celebrate diversity” web banners that, at the time, were controversial. We lost some customers but I think we gained far more with our message of equality.

The diverse product offerings that we have are a great tie-in, whether you are looking for a desktop or portable device or any of the wide range of peripherals like Beats headphones, home automation products or data backup solutions. While it is a marketing campaign, our hearts are deeply invested in promoting equality.

The holiday season seems to have been a big success for Apple as data from the analytics company Flurry shows that iPhones and iPads made up more than half of all mobile device activations between December 19th and 25th. That was three times the number of activations as the second place finisher, Samsung.  

I don’t know what you got for the holidays, but if you received an iPad or iPhone you probably need a spare charger to keep it charged up. And you probably need one for the car, too! This week’s Kibbles & Bytes exclusive features the Hammerhead 4-port USB charger and Hammerhead 2-port 17 watt car charger bundled with an Apple 1 meter Lightning to USB cable for only $39.99. This bundle is normally $65!

“*See this great deal here!*”:http://www.smalldog.com/wag900001678

The all-new Olloclip has been completely redesigned for the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus with 4 advanced-optic lenses. The pocket-sized, patented design now works on both front and rear-facing cameras so you can let your photos and selfies run wild. Plus, it comes with 3 wearable pendants because the best camera is the one that’s always with you.

I am off to Las Vegas for the big Consumer Electronics Show so Rachel may have to twist Emily or Hapy’s arm to do some writing for next week’s Kibbles & Bytes. It has always been tricky getting out of Vermont for CES due to the unpredictable weather but this year I will be flying from Key West so chances are I won’t be spending a lot of extra time in the Detroit airport as I have done in the past.

All of us at Small Dog Electronics send our wishes to you for a safe and prosperous New Year! Make it green in 2015, don’t be mean in 2015 and other slogans…

Thank you for reading this issue of Kibbles & Bytes!

Your Kibbles & Bytes Team,

_Don, Rachel, Mike & Dean_

It is that time of the year where I review my predictions for 2014 and polish up the crystal ball for 2015.

Here’s what the ball said last year:

*Apple stock will exceed $700 by year’s end*

__Nailed that one!__

*Apple will introduce “wearable” technology that will have some features that surprise Hapy*

__The Apple watch was introduced, don’t know if Hapy was surprised but I am pretty sure that some feature did__

*The Apple TV will become more than a “hobby”*

__More and more content is becoming available and with Apple selling over 20 million of the devices, I am giving myself this one, too__

*There really will be confirmation of extraterrestrial (intelligent) life*

__Okay, discovery of water on Mars and earth-like planets doesn’t quite qualify__

*The Cubs will really climb out of the cellar this season and the Washington Nationals will win the World Series*

__Just wait until next year__

*The Celtics will make the playoffs, lose in the first round and the Indiana Pacers will upset the Miami Heat and go on to win the NBA Championship*

__Just wait until 2017?__

*The Democrats will not lose the US Senate and will pick up seats in the House*

__Just wait until 2016?__

*The Patriots will not win the Super Bowl*

__Congrats to the Seahawks!__

*Norway will win the most medals at the Winter Olympics with the USA not doing better than 4th place in the medal count*

__Norway finished 3rd and the USA 2nd – Russia had the most__

*There will be at least one significant event tied undisputedly to climate change*

__Lots of events and crazy weather but nothing that meets my criteria for significant event__

*The polls will show that a majority of Americans have favorable opinions of the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) by the end of the year*

__Not a good year for the ACA even though many Americans have greater coverage__

Hmmm… three out of eleven – not so good for 2014. I’d better put some elbow grease into that crystal ball polishing.

You may have received an iPad, iPhone or iPod touch for the holidays. These devices all come with a 1-year warranty and 90 days of free phone support from Apple. AppleCare+ is more than an extended warranty and it would be a good New Year’s gift to yourself. AppleCare+ extends the 1-year Apple warranty to 2 years but the protection does not stop there. You also receive 2 years of free technical support which includes answers to your questions on Apple software including iOS, iCloud, wireless network setup and Apple-branded Apps.

AppleCare+ adds one more important feature for your mobile device. It covers, subject to a service fee, two incidents of accidental damage. So if you drop that iPhone into the ocean and fish it out you can get it replaced or repaired for only $79 (twice!). The fee for the iPad is $49 and the iPod touch is $29. Screen repairs and water damage can cost you dearly so the protection of AppleCare + can be a lifesaver!

You can purchase AppleCare+ within 60 days of the purchase of your iOS device directly from “*Small Dog Electronics*”:http://www.smalldog.com or any Apple store. We will have to confirm the purchase date and run a diagnostic test to confirm that the device has no pre-existing damage so you will have to bring it to one of “*our stores.*”:http://www.smalldog.com/retail