You’re in the gym sticking with your New Year’s resolution, and want to connect your AirPods to your treadmill’s TV to make running less of a drudge. AirFly is exactly what you need. Plug the gizmo into any audio port to connect it to your wireless headphones.
And you can pick up the Twelve South AirFly SE at 14% off thanks to a deal available from multiple retailers.
Twelve South introduced PlugBug Travel, a version of its USB-C wall charger with six power adapters so it can be used around the world. Taking it internationally makes its support for Apple’s Find My technology even more useful.
There are versions with two ports and four ports with outputs appropriate for iPhone and/or MacBook.
Many users out there on social media can’t seem to get enough external displays into their computer setups. Sometimes we see as many as six big screens. But don’t forget a simple way you can always add another small screen. Namely, don’t just add your MacBook open on the desk or on a stand. Include your iPad, too. Today’s M1 MacBook Air user proudly has his M4 iPad Pro mirror on Studio Display as it sits in the mix on a Twelve South stand.
Twelve South’s new ButterFly SE powers up iPhone and Apple Watch like the original version, but at a lower price. The Qi2 charger version of the tiny travel changer is also more colorful.
It can be preordered starting today.
Many folks building a computer setup love a good trick for compartmentalizing a bit — essentially, any way they can neaten up the space in a way that enhances productivity. That could include something we don’t see often enough in setups: multi-use keyboard trays. Today’s Mac Studio user proudly displays a wooden one for Magic Keyboard mini and Magic Trackpad 2. And you can find many others out there, like the popular Twelve South MagicBridge.
Trays like that give your keyboard and trackpad — or/or mouse, in some cases — one modular place to live, and you can easily move the pair or trio around as one unit or hold it in your lap.
★★★★★
Twelve South ButterFly is a 2-in-1 MagSafe iPhone and and Apple Watch travel charger that folds into a tiny package. It offers fast-charging and can serve as a kickstand for your handset.
It’s a bit pricy, but an innovative design makes it very portable. I put the gadget to the test.
Isn’t it great when someone on social media humbly displays a well put-together and complete computer setup that makes yours look like random debris? Well, at least it’s a good learning opportunity. And today’s MacBook Pro setup is an exceptional example, as it doesn’t look like “all that” — even though it is.
At a glance you might not guess that it packs about two dozen components, and the user is happy to explain how he uses most of them.
If you’re ready to put your MacBook in clamshell mode on a vertical stand, Twelve South rolled out a nice one for you Tuesday — BookArc Flex.
The minimalist stand lets you run your closed laptop like a desktop — just plug in your external display and fire up a keyboard and mouse — while saving loads of space on your desk for other gear. And you can get it with chrome, matte-black or matte-white finishes.
Sure, you can buy a computer monitor and set it up on the stand that came in the box. But what if you want to easily move the external display around? And what if you want to have multiple screens and move them around?
Keeping monitors up off the desk and mobile can really improve your setup. And the best way to do that is to mount your screens on arms. It takes some effort, but as today’s user points out below, it’s worth it.
Twelve South’s new 2-in-1 Butterfly MagSafe Charger folds into a tiny footprint, fast-charges MagSafe iPhones and Apple Watches, and can serve as a kickstand for your handset, as well.
The cool gadget, which you can get directly from Twelve South or Apple, looks like a winner and is priced as such, at a steep $129.95.
Some computer setups look “clean” and “minimal” because they’re, well, empty. Under-equipped. Not all there. But today’s featured M2 MacBook Air setup with Studio Display actually brings enough gear, it just does so in a beautifully clean way that has the rest of us slobs drooling with envy.
Hell, our setup is practically a waste dump half the time, compared to this thing.
These days, MacBook laptops are more than powerful enough to handle most users’ computing needs. So if you don’t need an even brawnier desktop Mac, why not build your laptop into a full workstation with a few peripherals and accessories?
Today’s setup gets by with a 3-year-old MacBook Pro hooked up to a CalDigit Thunderbolt 3 dock and a nice LG 4K display, plus Logitech input devices and a few other items. It’s a complete workstation whether or not the user ever takes the MacBook Pro to go.
With the iPhone 15 series and new Apple Watches now out, the accessories floodgates are open. One of the first products through is an updated Twelve South HiRise 3 Deluxe charging stand. And it’s made for MagSafe and ideal for iOS 17’s Standby Mode.
So you can turn your iPhone into a classic bedside alarm clock or smart display with various widgets. And you can charge it alongside Apple Watch and AirPods.
The Twelve South Curve SE stand holds up a MacBook so the screen is at eye level, making the laptop part of a desktop setup. It’s ergonomic and also cools the computer.
It’s a premium laptop stand made of aluminum but costs substantially less than the company’s other stands.
Many computer setups go heavy on the Apple hardware, but not many of them could be mistaken for Apple advertisements. Some, though, like today’s Mac Studio workstation, manage to hit that mark — or close enough.
If the app developer who uses it fancied things up a bit more, the rig might seem too staged and on-the-nose-Apple to feature.
Computer setups aren’t all about the main machine and displays that cost hundreds or thousands of dollars. Plenty of smaller, less-expensive items turn out to be crucial — like gadget stands, USB-C hubs, the perfect mouse, smart light strips, desk mats and much more.
Today’s featured setup is a tribute to all the little things that make a difference — even double-sided tape.
★★★★☆
The Twelve South Forté turns Apple’s MagSafe iPhone charging puck into a stand. So rather than your handset lying flat on a table, it’s held up so you can more easily see the display. And the elevated charging mat swivels so you can pick your viewing angle for watching video or making FaceTime calls.
I put the Forté to use in my home office. Here’s what it’s like to use in real life.
Accessories maker Twelve South introduced a successor to its original HiRise stand for MacBook released about a decade ago — the new HiRise Pro for MacBook. You can watch the video below.
You can adjust its height for almost any use, it matches Apple’s Pro accessories in color and finish, and it features a spot in the base where you can insert a MagSafe charger to juice up your iPhone and other gadgets.
Among the everlasting truths about computer setups, first comes “a setup is never finished.” And the second might be, “A setup can always be improved.” The user behind today’s featured setup certainly found out about No. 2 when he asked for advice on how to improve his M1 Max MacBook Pro and dual-Studio Display workstation.
Find all the advice below — jokes ‘n’ all — as well as all of the setup’s excellent gear.
Wouldn’t it be great if the right job opened the door to building a killer computer setup? It happened for design and product lead Jaime Creixems.
Today’s featured setup is his M1 Max MacBook Pro and Studio Display-driven wonderland, complete with excellent audio equipment and fun sidelights like Lego sets.
Attach the Twelve South BackPack to an iMac and you can use it to hide accessories behind the desktop computer’s screen, saving on visible clutter.
Despite the name, the device isn’t really a backpack. It’s an aluminum shelf that attaches to the Mac’s stand.
★★★★☆
AirFly 2 from Twelve South can wirelessly connect your AirPods to any 3.5mm audio jack. It’s great for airline entertainment systems and gym machines. The new version has a longer battery life, adds new volume controls and costs less than its predecessor.
I tested the wireless audio adapter with AirPods and other headphones, as well as a variety of audio sources. Here’s why I’m quite pleased with it.
If you like buying popular third-party accessories straight from Apple, take heart. The Cupertino tech giant added three new products to its online store Friday from Anker, Mophie and Twelve South.
They are the new Anker 3-in-1 Cube MagSafe charger, the Mophie Powerstation Plus 10K power bank and the Twelve South Hoverbar Tower for iPad floor stand.
Twelve South expanded its SuitCase line to the latest 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pro models. The case offers three layers of protection, with the outer being quilted twill for a smart look.
“When all you need is your MacBook for an off-site meeting, SuitCase is the ultimate shuttle,” says Twelve South.
You, like many people, may build your computer setup around a MacBook Pro. But is yours the “standard setup” for MacBook Pro users?
If you answered “there’s no such thing,” you’re right. That’s why we were surprised to see a reference to such a standard in reaction to a setup with a MacBook Pro, a new Studio Display, an excellent CalDigit dock and a raft of excellent audio gear that not everyone has or even knows about. But maybe they should.