Sunscreen, hats, sunglasses, shoes, batteries, headphones, waterbottles — here’s everything you need to stay healthy for your summer fitness and fun!

Summer is coming. For many of us, the ice has cracked, the snow has fled, and the parks are once again open for some serious fun. But with great weather comes great responsibility. The sun burns, the bugs bite, the heat parches, and the kilometers blister. None of those are deal-breakers, though, provided you prepare.

Whether you’re amping up your Apple Watch workouts, playing Pokémon Go, or simply enjoying the world around you, here’s what you need to beat the summer heat.

The best sunscreen

Like Superman, we’re powered by the rays of our strong yellow sun. But what makes us stronger can also burn us. That’s why really good sun screen is an absolute must for anyone spending any time outside this summer.

According to The Sweethome’s Shannon Palus, this is what you need:

[If] you’re outside, you should be applying a full shot glass’s worth of sunscreen to your near-naked body about once an hour in order to get adequate protection with your sunscreen. That’s a lot. Which means the best sunscreen needs to be affordable.

For that reason, she recommends NO-AD Sport SPF 50 or Coppertone Oil Free Sunscreen Lotion SPF 30.

You need your skin for life, so take care of it.

A great hat

It could be for your favorite sports team. It could be for your best-loved geek franchise. It could be from the latest fashion line or simply surplus. Whatever the branding — or lack thereof — the important thing is that it keeps the sun off your head and provides shade for your eyes.

Depending on where you live and how you style, a ball cap, a cowboy hat, even a pith helmet is fine. Kangol and fez, no matter how bowtie-cool you may find it, don’t have the brims you need to keep the sun from making you squint.

Amazon has a huge selection of hats. So does ThinkGeek. Find one you love and wear it when you go out.

Jamming headphones

I’m of two minds about headphones. Sometimes I can’t stand hiking with headphones because all I want to hear is the rain, the river, the birds, and the wind. Other times the honking and hollering of city streets practically forces me into listening to podcasts or music. Either way, a great set of headphones are either a must-have or a must have ready.

Recently I’ve gone wireless. Being constrained by battery life has definite drawbacks but my ears have been worn down enough by grappling that wired headphones simply don’t stay in. (What a different the lack of pull makes.)

I prefer AirPods to BeatsX, because when I go wireless I want to go wireless. But Apple still hasn’t managed to keep them in stock, so buy what’s available. I also really like PowerBeats as well, because the loop can keep them on any ear through just about anything.

If you need something not bound by battery, Wirecutter recommends the Sennheiser OCX 686G Sports if the EarPods or earbuds that come with your phone simply won’t do.

Super sunglasses

Sunglasses aren’t just about looking cool. OK, they’re a lot about looking cool, but they’re also about protecting your eyes. Anything and everything from particulates to UV light can get into and damage your eyes while you’re out and about, especially if you’re out an about at velocity on a bike, board, boat or skates.

If you’re just strolling around town or picnicking in the park, any old dime-store or boutique lenses could do. If you’re working out, be it prepping for a marathon or hunting down Pokémon or portals, you need more serious shades.

Bob Howells, writing for The Wirecutter:

What differentiates sport shades from the ones you wear for driving or around town? The degree of protectiveness is the short answer. Chances are, your around-town sunglasses (like eyeglasses, if you wear them) are almost flat. They don’t hug your face. They permit a fair amount of stray wind and light to reach your eyes. They may have glass lenses, which can shatter in an impact situation (a stray pebble that kicks up, or a header while you’re mountain biking). Glass lenses have awesome clarity and are highly scratch-resistant, but they’re not practical for really active pursuits.

He likes the Ryders Sevent and the Julbo Aero.

For a less sporty, more budget pick, his colleagues like the ZeroUV Longhorn.

Sensational shoes

Pounding the pavement is as brutal on your feet as it sounds. Cement and asphalt are hard and, the latter especially, can get HOT. If you’re on the trails, there are rocks, thorns, and trash to worry about as well. So, if you want your feet to last, and with a minimum of blisters and strain, get good shoes.

For most activities, I love Nike Free. Your feet were designed to move, so the less that comes between them and movement, the better. (I get the lowest number I can find and take the soles out so my Nike are extra free.)

They’re the next best thing to being barefoot in a world strewn with enough sharp objects to demand adequate protection.

Portable battery pack

No drain, no gain! It’s goofy but it’s true: Many outdoor activities demand a lot of power. If your Apple Watch is in workout mode, the heart rate monitor is firing. If your iPhone is being used to battle in Pokémon Gyms or navigate through a national park, the screen is lit and the GPS is hard at work.

Anything that keeps the screen and the radios on will hit the battery hard. So, if you know you’ll be out for a good long while and you’ll be using your gear on the go, play it safe and bring a power pack with you. That way, if you suddenly find your batteries running low, you don’t have to cut your day short. You can simply plug in and keep playing — or at least get enough of a charge to reach a plug before it’s too late.

If you have a backpack with you, I like the mophie powerstation XX because it can charge multiple devices multiple times. If you’re sticking strictly to pockets or fanny packs, the TravelCard is great. If you have an iPhone but want it to be more like an iPhone Plus when you’re out and about, Apple’s Smart Battery Case has efficiency that simply can’t be beat.

Water, water, water

It’s critically important to stay hydrated when you’re out, especially in the heat. That means drinking water regularly. You can find a fountain or Apple Pay for a bottle whenever you need it, but by the time you’re thirsty you’re already late.

If you have a backpack or even a decent-sized pocket or pack, keep some water with you and sip regularly. Otherwise, make sure you stop regularly to refresh. Set a timer if you have to. Do the environment a solid and use a Klean Kanteen or whatever water bottle you like best. Plenty of places give them away as marketing swag, so you should be able to find one cheap if not free.

Then keep it with you, keep it filled, and keep on drinking.

Take breaks, keep cool

No matter how well prepare you are, the heat can sometimes be too much. If there are warnings about UV levels or air quality, if it’s too hot or too humid, or if you’ve simply had enough — stop. There’s no prize for sunstroke, sunburn, or dehydration, other than dizziness, discomfort, and disruption.

So, take breaks when you need them and, if it gets bad outside, duck inside. If you really need to fill your rings or kill your step count, walk laps in a nice, air-conditioned mall for a while or wait until dusk and things cool down.

Play the long game and workout smarter, not harder.

Your top summer survival tips?

Nothing beats the great outdoors but with a few simple steps you can prevent the great outdoors from beating you. That way, you’re not just surviving the summer — you’re thriving in it. If you have any great tips or tricks for enjoying life in the heat, drop them in the comments below!

What is the best iPhone 7 deal available right now? Let’s take a look at where you can score the biggest savings!

Want to pick up an iPhone 7 or iPhone 7 Plus but don’t want to pay full price for it? There are always deals at various retailers: Some offer slight discounts, while others offer free accessories with your purchase to sweeten the deal. Keeping up with all of the deals around the web can be a pain as they change weekly, but we’ve got you covered with the best deals you can find in May 2017.

Here are the best iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus deals that you can find right now!

iPhone 7

Are you a fan of the smaller size and want to pick up the iPhone 7? This time around Apple has changed the base storage in the iPhone 7 line to 32GB at no additional cost, which makes it a better value by default. Odds are that you’ll want more than the baseline storage, so saving some money to get the additional capacity is important. Here are some of the best iPhone 7 deals you can find right now.

• Apple is offering the iPhone 7 for as little as $32.41 a month on the iPhone Upgrade Program
• Best Buy is offering the iPhone 7 for $14.99 with new Sprint activation
• Verizon is offering $100 Amazon Gift Card with purchase on new installment plan
• Target is offering $300 gift card with new activations

iPhone 7 Plus

Looking for the larger variant with the dual-camera this time around? The iPhone 7 Plus is a fantastic phone, but it also carries quite a hefty price tag along with it, which can be hard for some to swallow. Some carriers are offering trade-in credits and others have great financing. Here are some of the best places to buy your iPhone 7 Plus right now.

• Best Buy is offering the iPhone 7 Plus for $23.74 with new Sprint activation
• Apple is offering the iPhone 7 Plus for as little as $37.41 a month on the iPhone Upgrade Program
• Verizon is offering $100 Amazon Gift Card with purchase on new installment plan

Your favorite deal?

Have you spotted another deal that isn’t mentioned here? If so, be sure to let us know what the deal offers and where to get it so that others can take advantage of it as well!

You’re looking to start a new career in web development; the problem is you don’t know where to start. There’s always the college route, which will take four years of your life and a heck of a lot of money. So, that’s not always an option.

Learn how to code in your own home! Learn more

You could also attend an intensive boot camp program, but once again that may require uprooting your entire life for several weeks at a time as you spend money and energy you don’t have. There is a third option — you can learn everything you need about coding from the comfort of your own home! iMore Digital Offers can show you how to do it!

You don’t need to deal with the hassle of going back to school or spending a small fortune, when you can simply get The Crash Course Coding Bundle, which includes eight amazing courses.

This bundle will help you build the important skills you need to be successful in the computer science industry, including the crucial skills that employers are looking for. Learn the fundamentals of Java, C++ and other popular languages before you move on to the more advanced coding systems like Python!

Here’s a breakdown of the courses you get in this great bundle:

• Fundamentals of Operating Systems
• C Programming Part 1 and 2
• Java 8 Part 1
• Java 8 Part 2
• Perl Programming 1 and 2
• Python Programming Essentials
• Advanced Python Programming
• IoT Programming

Right now you can get lifetime access to all eight course for only $39!; that’s a savings of 98%!

Take advantage of this incredible offer right now, and propel yourself into an exciting new career in computer science!

Learn how to code for only $39! Learn more

What Pokémon from Gen 2 — and Pokémon Candy — should you hoard now to prep for Gen 3 and Gen 4? Here’s your list!

Updated May 21, 2017: Take advantage of Pokémon Go Adventure Week to stock up on Rhyhorn candy so you can evolve Rhyperior in Gen 4!

Pokémon Gen 2 might just have launched but it’s never too early to start preparing for Gen 3… and Gen 4. That’s because Gen 3 was more of a departure than a sequel to the beloved franchise. There are a couple of new babies but no new evolution. But that simply sets and even bigger, better, stage for the super-evolutions coming in Gen 4.

Image via Reddit.

Given it took 8 months — albeit a server and stability plagued 8 months! — to get Gen 2, it’s possible we won’t see Gen 3 until late this year, never mind Gen 4. Either way, if you want to start stacking up high stat (IV) Pokémon and storing up on Candy in anticipation, here are the ones you want!

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New: Pokémon Go Bans Snipers | Next Pokémon Go Event

Hot: Best movesets | Best Power-Ups | Find rares | Catch bonuses

Guides: Pokémon Go tips + tricks | Pokémon Go cheats

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Which Gen 1 Pokémon get new evolutions in Gen 3 and Gen 4?

Since there are no new evolutions for existing Pokémon in Gen 3, as discussed above, here’s the list of Gen 1 Candy you want to collect for Gen 4.

• Magnemite to evolve Magneton into Magnazone.
• Lickitung to evolve into Lickilicky.
• Rhynhorn to evolve into Rhyperior.
• Tangela to evolve into Tangrowth.
• Elekid to evolve Electabuzz into Electivire.
• Magby to evolve Magmar into Magmortar.
• Eevee to evolve into Leafeon and Glaceon (Split).
• Porygon to evolve Porygon2 into Porygon-Z.

Which Gen 2 Pokémon get new evolutions in Gen 3 and Gen 4?

Again, no Gen 3 evolutions for Gen 2 Pokémon, but here are the Gen 2 Candy you want to stock up on:

• Aipom to evolve into Ambipom.
• Yanma to evolve into Yanmega.
• Murkrow to evolve into Honchkrow.
• Misdreavus to evolve into Mismagius.
• Gligar to evolve into Gliscor.
• Sneasel to evolve into Weavile.
• Swinub to evolve Piloswine into Mamoswine.
• Togetic to evolve into Togekiss

If Pokémon Gen 3 and Gen 4 work like Gen 2 did, you won’t need Candy** to evolve the new babies. You’ll need Pokémon Eggs.

What about new Gen 3 and Gen 4 babies?

Because babies, right? You don’t have to prepare for them because they’ll be new pre-evolutions, not post-evolutions. But, in case you’re curious, here are the new Gen 3 babies:

• Azurill (baby Marill)
• Wynaut (baby Wobuffet)

And the new Gen 4 babies:

• Mime Jr. (baby Mr. Mime)
• Bonsly (baby Sudowoodo)
• Mantyke (baby Mantine)

What will the most powerful Pokémon be in Gen 3 and Gen 4?

Gen 1 gave us Dragonite and Snorlax. Gen 2 upped the stakes with Tyranitar and Blissey. So, who will be the biggest, strongest monsters of Pokémon Go Gen 3?

• Slaking (5441)
• Metagross (3644)
• Salamance (3532)
• Agron (3004)

Who are the Gen 3 starters?

We went from Bulbasaur, Charmander, and Squirtle, to Chikorita, Cyndaquil, and Totodile. But what are the next-generation starters?

• Grass: Treecko > Grovyle > Sceptile (2380)
• Water: Mudkip > Marshtomp > Swampert (2967)
• Fire: Torchic > Combusken > Blaziken (2858)

Legendaries and Mythicals for Gen 3?

So many! And yeah, we haven’t even gotten the Gen 1 or Gen 2 Legendary and Mythical yet, but here they are!

Legendary Weather Trio:

• Kyogre (Water)
• Groudon (Ground)
• Rayquaza (Dragon/Fire)

Legendary Eon Duo:

• Latios (Dragon/Psychic)
• Latias (Dragon/Psychic)

Legendary Titans:

• Regirock (Rock)
• Registeel (Steel)
• Regice (Ice)

Mythical:

• Jirachi (Steel/Psychic)
• Deoxys (Psychic)

What do you want to see in Pokémon Go Gen 3 and Gen 4?

How Pokémon Go deals with Rhydon — already a 3000+ CP ‘mon — evolving into Rhyperior is going to be interesting, isn’t it? If you have any idea, or any questions about Gen 3 or Gen 4 in general, drop ‘em in the comments below!

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Getting started with your first iPhone is an amazing experience, especially when you have all the right apps.

Updated May 2017: Updated screenshots. Added SoundHound!

If you or someone you know has just joined the Apple community by purchasing an iPhone for the first time, one of the big questions will be, “What apps should I download?” With more than 1.5 million apps, that is a difficult question to answer. But if your question is, “What are the apps I need right now?” We can help you out with that.

Whether you are a social butterfly, a busy bee, or a music-loving songbird there are a handful of must-have apps that are the basic starters for every new iPhone user. Once you’ve established your foundation, you can dig deeper, but here are the apps you need on day one.

Social Networking

Facebook

There are more than 1.5 billion Facebook users worldwide. Considering the planet has about seven billion people on it, that’s a lot of Facebook users. Which means, if you use Facebook, you’ll want to get the iOS app right away. Plus, you can link your Facebook account to your iPhone and enable Siri to post status updates for you.

• Free - Download now

Twitter

Twitter may not be quite as saturated as Facebook, but the microblogging site still manages to permeate our daily lives pretty well. If you have a Twitter account, you’ll want this app. Some will tell you that there are better third-party Twitter clients out there, but if you want Siri to post tweets for you, you’ll need the official app.

• Free - Download now

Instagram

When it comes to social photography, Instagram is second to none. When you follow your friends, celebrities, and trending topics, you’ll be showered with pictures of food, feet, and duck faces. Meanwhile, you’ll be able to grace the world with your perfectly poised selfies.

• Free - Download now

Messaging

Skype for iPhone

Skype is like FaceTime, but for all platforms. You can use it for video conferencing, group chats, and just staying in touch with friends and family. Even if your grandparents don’t know what a smart phone is, chances are, they have the technology to Skype with you.

• Free - Download now

Google Hangouts

If you have a Gmail or Google+ account, you’ve probably already “Hung out” with other users through Google’s chat window or social networking site. Hangouts is similar to Skype, but only for Google accounts.

• Free - Download now

Messenger

Believe it or not, the app for the most popular social networking site in the universe makes you use a completely separate app for chatting. Good news with Messenger, you don’t have to be Facebook friends with someone to chat with them. So, it’s like having 1.5 billion friends in your back pocket.

• Free - Download now

Productivity

1Password

If this is your first smart phone, you’ll quickly realize just how many passwords you’ll need for different apps and websites. 1Password stores those passwords for you, along with credit card information, profile data, and a whole lot more. The best part is, you will only have to actually remember the one password you use to log in. Even better, if your iPhone has Touch ID (iPhone 5s or newer), you can log in with your fingerprint.

• Free - Download now

Microsoft Office

Word, Excel, PowerPoint (plus maybe OneNote and Outlook). These are the basic staples of the average computer-using human. There is a pretty good chance that you use one or all of these programs in your office environment. With Microsoft’s Office 365 subscription, you can access all of your important files on your iPhone. Plus you can create, edit, and share documents on the go. It’s a must have for most of us.

• Free - Download Word
• Free - Download Excel
• Free - Download PowerPoint

Apple iWork

Apple doesn’t really call it “iWork” anymore, but it is the company’s answer to Microsoft Office. Pages, Numbers, and Keynote will get you the same results with a different interface. And, if your working companions are on Microsoft, it’s no problem. You can export your documents in their counterparts. With iCloud, you can store all of your work in the cloud for easy access from any iOS device, or on the web, whether you are using a Mac or PC.

• $9.99 or free on qualified devices - Download Pages
• $9.99 or free on qualified devices - Download Numbers
• $9.99 or free on qualified devices - Download Keynote

Music

Apple Music

Now that you are a part of the Apple ecosystem, it is time to maximize your benefits. One of those choice bonuses is Apple Music. With it, you have access to Apple’s wealth of tunes. You can listen to full albums in their entirety, create your own playlists with your favorite tracks, and listen to brand new music without having to buy it. You can also download everything for offline listening.

• $9.99 per month (first three months are free) - Learn how it works

Spotify

Spotify is similar to Apple Music, but basically just isn’t Apple Music. If you are new to the Apple ecosystem, chances are you are a Spotify user. In that case, keep all of your history and playlists nearby with the official app. The benefit of having Spotify around is that you can still stream music without having to pay for it, you just have to listen in shuffle mode.

• Free - Download now

Pandora

Pandora is like the grandfather of streaming music. It works a lot differently than Spotify or Apple Music. It’s more like a radio station that you are in charge of. Pandora is great for hitting the play button and letting the music flow. It should be in every music lover’s arsenal.

• Free - Download now

SoundHound

SoundHound is a music identification app — tap to allow it to listen to the song that’s playing wherever you are, and it’ll come back with which song it is, who sings it, lyrics, and more. You can also connect SoundHound to Spotify and Apple Music to add discovered songs to playlists so that you can enjoy them later. Never ask “Who sings this?” again!

• Free - Download now

Streaming media

Hulu

You can get your on-demand fix of thousands of TV shows and movies with Hulu. On the iPhone, you’ll need a paid subscription. But, that means you can watch the latest and greatest of Hulu’s catalogue whenever you want. If you have a subscription to Hulu, you’ll want it on your Home screen.

• $7.99 - $11.99 per month - Download now

Netflix

Similar to Hulu, Netflix lets you stream thousands of TV shows and movies right on your iPhone. But, you’ll need a subscription to the streaming service. If you are already watching Netflix shows and movies on your computer or set-top box, you’ll be happy to have the same great content delivered right to your mobile device.

• $7.99 to $11.99 per month - Download now

YouTube

The YouTube app almost belongs in the social networking section because it is much more than just a media streaming service. It is also a place where nobodies become famous and everyone has a chance at their five minutes of fame. With YouTube on your iPhone, you can film your next mini movie, edit it, and publish it without having to switch over to another screen. Or, you could just watch cat videos all day.

• Free - Download now

Cloud storage

Dropbox

When it comes to keeping important files close by without taking up storage space on your iPhone, Dropbox is tops. You can store anything, movies, music, photos, PDFs, e-books, whatever, and even share it with others without having to give them access to your account. Thanks to cross-platform compatibility, everyone can use dropbox, as long as they have access to the Internet. If you have a Dropbox account, get this app.

• Free - Download now

Google Drive

Google Drive is another great cloud storage service, but it requires a Google account. If you are signed up with Google, you can save documents, videos, pictures, and more. You can also work in Google Docs within the cloud storage service and collaborate in real-time with others. A lot of companies use Google Drive because it is so easy to share information with employees. If you are already signed up with Google, you’ll appreciate having Google Drive on your Home screen.

• Free - Download now

OneDrive

Microsoft’s cloud storage service is not just for Office. You can store documents (non-Office ones, too), photos, music, videos, contacts, and more. You can easily share documents with others and because OneDrive is cross-platform, you can access your account from any device. If you have a Microsoft 365 account, your features grow exponentially.

• Free - Download now

Navigation

Google Maps

Apple’s Maps app has grown into its own over the past few years and works incredibly well on the iPhone. But, there are still a few missing features, or tools that don’t work in all areas. That’s why you’ll need Google Maps as a backup. Google Maps has just been around a lot longer, and so has a more polished feature set that works in more locations.

• Free - Download now

Reading

Kindle Reader

Just because you are not using a Kindle, doesn’t mean you can’t read your Kindle books. Amazon makes it possible for you to download and read your purchased Kindle books on your iPhone. You can even listen to your Amazon audiobooks. You have to buy books through Amazon, but once purchased, you can download them right onto your iPhone and read whenever you want.

• Free - Download now

Fitness

Fitbit

You’re going to need some way of counting those steps you take everyday and logging them into Apple’s Health app. Fitbit’s fitness app is great because you don’t have to have any additional equipment for basic walk and run tracking. But, if you own any of the company’s many wearable fitness trackers, you can store all of your data on your iPhone. If you don’t already own an Apple Watch, or you are leaning more toward FitBit for your health and fitness needs, you’ll enjoy the features that the Fitbit app has to offer.

• Free - Download now

Nike+ Run Club

If you are an avid runner, or even if you are just starting out, the Nike+ Run Club app is a personal trainer that will help you reach your goals. It tracks and stores your runs and coaches you along the way, no matter what your level. You can compete with other members of the Run Club to help motivate you to get moving. It connects to Apple Music for inspirational beats. You also can share your activities with friends so they can encourage your success.

• Free - Download now

Runtastic PRO

Just because it’s called Runtastic, doesn’t mean you have to use it just for running. You can choose from a number of different activities, including football, cross fit, rock climbing, and more. You can select your type of workout from such options as interval training, target pace, and a few others. If you don’t have a route for your exercise routine, you can pick one from nearby routes that others have added to the program. You can also share your activities with friends and help encourage each other to stay motivated.

• $4.99 - Download now

Weather

Dark Sky

Apple’s Weather app has everything you need to check the forecast ahead, but Dark Sky has one fantastic feature that the native Weather app doesn’t. It lets you know, within minutes, whether it is going to start raining or snowing. So, during the wet seasons, you can use it to plan your immediate outdoor activities. Hoping to go for a walk? Check Dark Sky to see how much time you have before the rain will start to fall again. Use the Weather app for your daily reports and Dark Sky for checking in on impending downpours.

• $3.99 - Download now

Works with Siri

Square Cash

Peer-to-peer payment has gotten a whole lot easier now that Siri can facilitate the transaction for you. Simply say, “Pay [name] with Square Cash” and the digital personal assistant will open up an on-screen widget to allow you to confirm that you want to follow through with the payment. You can also ask Siri to request payment from someone if your friend owes you money. That way, you don’t have to do it yourself. Conflict avoided.

• Free - Download now

Lyft

Lyft is a peer-to-peer “ride sharing” service that makes it very easy for you to catch a ride. You may have seen those pink mustaches on the front of cars in the past (luckily, they don’t use those anymore). That’s Lyft. Thanks to Siri integration, you can call for a car simply by activating Siri and saying, “Get me a Lyft to the airport” or wherever you are headed. If you have multiple ride-hailing apps (like Uber), you’ll be offered a choice of which service you’d prefer to use.

• Free - Download now

Trails . Outdoor GPS Logbook

Trails is a GPS tracking app that keeps a close eye on your movement. It also has an offline topographic map that you can access from the Pro version, which can be used when you head out on those mountain hikes where cellular service is dark. When you are ready to head out, tell Siri to “Track my walking” or running, or cycling, or horseback, or skiing. It will automatically set up your criteria so you can get on the move without hesitation. When you are done, tell Siri to “Stop tracking.”

• Free - Download now

Stickers

iMore

Of course, we are going to recommend the iMore sticker pack as one of the best sticker packs you can get because we want to help make your iMessage conversations as fun as possible. If someone calls you a Millennial, respond with Mikah Sargent’s eye roll. When everything goes well, drop a Serenity Caldwell ++ sticker onto a chat bubble. When someone makes you angry, Rene Ritchie’s “Srsly?” will express your feelings perfectly. We want to be a part of your conversations.

• Free - Download now

Retro Emoji

Believe it or not, there was a time in the past when people had to type in keyboard symbols when they wanted to express emotion. Retro Emoji takes you all the way back to ASCII days with about two dozen popular old-school emoticons. You can let someone know you love them with a heart-eyed key symbol smile or express your anger with my favorite, the table flip. Your older friends will enjoy the memories and your younger friends will think you are cool for knowing so much about character codes (or, maybe they will just think you are a nerd).

• $0.99 - Download now

Stamp Pack

Sometimes, a big red stamp expresses your feelings more to-the-point than any smily face or hand jive could ever do. The Stamp Pack is bursting with bright, bold, red stamp stickers that will express your emotions with authority. You’ll feel like a bureaucrat and your friends will feel like they have to make an appointment in order to speak with you.

• $1.99 - Download now

Assembly

What could be better than making stickers yourself? Assembly is a vector design tool that comes with hundreds of shapes and illustrations so you can create the perfect sticker for every occasion, even ones that are personal inside jokes that you share with only one other person. Imagine how cool that would be? Once you create your stickers in the app, open the sticker pack in your Messages app tray and look under “My Stickers” to access them. It is a most personal way to sticker-ize your conversations.

• Free - Download now

Works with Maps

Yelp

If you are looking for a place to eat, shop, drink, get gas, or practically anything that is open to the public, you can find out more detailed information from others who have patronized the business with Yelp integration in Apple Maps. It is the easiest way to learn from real people about a business you may want to visit soon.

• Free - Download now

OpenTable

After you’ve found a place to eat using Apple Maps, you can then make reservations, right from the app thanks to OpenTable integration. Find a restaurant you want to go to. If it takes reservations and is set up with OpenTable, you can find a date and time while still in the map. If there are no reservations available, you won’t have to switch between apps to go back and search for something different. OpenTable also works with Siri now, so you can have the digital personal assistant do the work for you.

• Free - Download now

Uber

Once you’ve found a restaurant and made reservations through OpenTable, you don’t even have to drive to your destination. With Uber integration in the Maps app, you can book a ride without leaving the app. Select the location, tap “Get Directions” and then tap “Ride.” You can choose your type of Uber ride and see the estimated wait time and cost. When you book a car, you’ll be able to track it to your current location. You can see photos, read reviews, find out about reservations, review menus, and even check in to Yelp by selecting a business on the Map.

• Free - Download now

Works with Messages

Game Pigeon

Yes, you can play games with your friends in the Messages app. Game Pigeon is great because it comes with six different games (with more to come), so game players of all types can enjoy an afternoon chatting with someone over a nice game. Play pool, poker, a version of Battleship, and more. You can have multiple games going with different people at the same time. It isn’t particularly complicated, so you don’t have to worry about spending too much time in your chat window.

• Free - Download now

JibJab

JibJab is one of those silly internet sensations that is ridiculous, but hilarious. You can make your friends (and coworkers) smile with a funny little song-and-dance, right inside the Messages app on your iPhone. Take a picture of yourself in the app. Make sure it’s a funny one. Then, open the Messages app and pick the funniest GIF you can find. Some of them are really funny. Your friends will LOL, literally.

• Free - Download now

Fandango

Messages isn’t just for fun and games. You can also plan your evening. Find out what movies are playing in your area and share them with the crew. Fandango shows movies that are playing locally, plus, you can add a show time and pick a specific theater. If your crew is down, you can even buy the tickets, right in iMessages. It can’t get any easier than that!

• Free - Download now

Your must-haves?

These are the apps we think every new iPhone owner should download right out of the box, but there are so many more great apps that are worth downloading once you’ve gone around the block once or twice. To our regular readers - let the noobs know what you think are other great apps they should look into.

Looking for a protective case that adds another layer of waterproofing to your iPhone 7 Plus? If so, check out Pelican’s Marine waterproof case for a two-piece case that snaps together to ensure the phone is well protected. It has built-in screen protection, and right now you can pick one up for just $60.

Your gadget screens (especially your phone) are covered in bacteria. Whoosh! is one way to easily keep ‘em clean.

Let me get this out of the way up front: This is not an advertisement for Whoosh! I (Mikah Sargent, Senior Editor at iMore) genuinely love this stuff and have used it religiously on my tech for a couple years now.

I’m going to tell you why I think Whoosh! is so wonderful and you can decide at the end if it’s right for you. If it’s not right for you, cool. If it is, welcome to the Whoosh! club! OK, let’s get to it.

No, really, your phone is dirtier than a toilet seat

You may have heard that bit of trivia about how your phone is dirtier than a public toilet seat and thought, “That can’t possibly be true!” Well, I’m here to tell you it is. According to a study conducted way back in 2007 (hmm, I bet we use our phones even more in 2017 than we did in 2007), our phones have more bacteria on them than the average toilet seat.

Mobile phone retailer Dial-a-Phone conducted the study taking swabs from everyday objects and analyzing the bacteria found on them. The shocking results found that there’s more muck on our mobiles than the average door handle, keyboard, and bottom of a shoe or even a toilet seat.

If you’re anything like me, you take your phone with you everywhere you go … and I do mean everywhere. As you go about your day, you expose your device to all kinds of bacteria. You may wash your hands regularly, but unless you’re washing your devices regularly, you’re just getting your hands dirty every time you tap your screen.

We do a pretty good job ignoring the literal germ factory atop our multitouch screens, but there’s another, less hidden screen ailment: fingerprints.

Ever find yourself in just the right light that your fingerprint smudges are literally obstructing the view of your screen? It’s not only annoying and inconvenient; it’s disgusting because it reminds us just how dirty our phones are. Despite the oleophobic (resistant to oils) coating on our devices, fingerprints and smudges still seem to find their way onto our screens.

Good thing is, you can keep fingerprints, smudges, and germs off your device with just a little care.

Why I use Whoosh! Screen Shine

Apple has some recommendations for keeping your Apple devices clean, but they aren’t very detailed and I find they suggest a little too light a touch. If you want to remove fingerprints, smudges, and germs, you’re gonna need a little elbow grease.

The Whoosh! Screen Shine kit I buy comes in a little resealable pouch. It contains a 1oz spray bottle full of the Screen Shine solution and Whoosh!’s antimicrobial microfiber cloth. Yep, that’s right, the cloth is antimicrobial. That means you needn’t worry about the germs you’re cleaning off your phone getting stuck to the cloth and reapplied during your next cleaning. Pretty smart!

Now, you might have thought at some, “I don’t need a special cleaner! I just use hand sanitizer to clean off my phone screen.” I’ve seen a lot of people clean their device screens with hand sanitizer. DO NOT DO THAT. Hand sanitizer contains alcohol and alcohol will damage the coating on your device’s screen. You need a cleaner free of abrasive cleaners and alcohol.

Whoosh!’s Screen Shine formula isn’t just alcohol- and abrasive-free — it’s also non-toxic, eco-friendly, and helps your screen resist fingerprints. Yeah, about that last part? The Screen Shine formula has a special oleophobic, anti-static coating ingredient that coats your screen as you clean. That means every time you clean your screen you’re strengthening its anti-fingerprint coating.

Note: If you’re wondering whether you can see or feel the coating that gets added, in my multiple years using the stuff, I’ve never noticed any unpleasant build-up on my screen.

Using Whoosh!

If you decide to buy some Whoosh! Screen Shine for your gadgets, you should know it works a little differently than you might think (or at least it wasn’t what I expected). Instead of spraying Whoosh! Screen Shine onto your device’s screen and wiping it away with the cloth, you’re actually going to spray the stuff onto the cloth and then wipe your screen with it. After the screen has gotten a nice coating of the solution, you’ll take a dry section of the cloth and polish it up.

Let me tell ya, folks, your screens will shine if you do it right. The only problem is you’ll probably get used to having a fingerprint-free device and obsess over cleaning it regularly … or maybe that’s just me. 😂

See at Amazon

Thoughts?

Have you used Whoosh! Screen Shine? Do you prefer another screen cleaner? Are you just resigned to fingerprints and germs on your devices? Let me know in the comments or send a tweet my way over on Twitter!

Become a war champion with these great tips, tricks, and cheats!

Game of War: Fire Age is a complex real-time strategy game that has a lot of players that have been playing the game for years. If you’re just starting out, the game can be a little confusing. Relax. I’m here to help you out by giving you the lowdown on the best tips and tricks to make your city into the thriving metropolis I know it can be!

Make use of your peace shield

When you start a new game, you begin with a peace shield around your city, meaning other players cannot attack you. You need to make use of this time by playing as much as possible!

Build new buildings, upgrade structure as much as possible, train lots of troops, and farm a lot of resources. This will give you a much better head start when enemies come to attack when your peace shield is down.

Always be building, researching, and training troops.

Everything in Game of War: Fire Age happens in real time, which means there’s no time to hesitate. Unless you spend real money to buy extra slots, you’ll only be able to build or upgrade one building, research one technology, and train one set of troops at any given time.

Make sure you’re always working on one of each type, so you can maximize your output.

Upgrade all your resource-producing buildings to level 3 right away

Resources are everything in Game of War: Fire Age, and you need a lot of them, especially when it comes to building and upgrading later in the game.

When you first start out, build two of every resource-producing building (farms, quarries, mines, etc.) and then upgrade them all instantly to level 3. This will only cost you one gold per building, and I know gold is precious, but this will really help you solidify your resource pool early on.

Occupy resource fields

Speaking of resources, you’re going to want to collect as many as you can from unoccupied resource fields in the world map. The higher the level of the resource building, the more resources you can pick up from that location, but the time it takes you to gather those resources will also increase.

Make sure you have a decent amount of troops before setting out in case you get attacked. As a good rule of thumb, try to occupy the closest resource fields to you first to ensure the highest success rate.

Build lots of hospitals

It wouldn’t be called Game of War without casualties, and you’re going to need to heal up your troops after you get attacked. Hospitals are crucial to getting your defences up and running again after suffering an enemy strike.

Build lots of hospitals, more than you think you may need, and you’ll find yourself in better shape more quickly after another player has waged war on you.

Complete quests as quickly as possible

This is a no-brainer but critically important to success in Game of War: Fire Age. You need to complete quests as quickly as you can. At the beginning of the game, it’s easy; practically every new building you build or talent you research will complete a quest. However, as you progress further in the game, you’ll notice quests become a lot harder to complete, but that also means the rewards are greater!

Completing quests not only gives you helpful items —like speed boosts and peace shields — but it also gives your hero more experience, meaning you can unlock useful hero abilities to produce resources faster or increase your armies’ attack power.

Do you have any tips?

Let me know in the comments below!

What are some inexpensive Apple Link Bracelet options?

Updated May 2017: All the watch bands on this list are still the best of the best!

The Apple Link Bracelet is a timeless, sleek, day-to-day choice for Apple Watch bands, except for one problem: the price tag. While some people are more than happy to pay a few hundred dollars for an Apple-branded band, it’s not always necessary to make it rain that type of moolah.

There are plenty of high-quality alternatives if you’re looking to capture the Apple Link Bracelet look without spending an arm and a leg, so here are a couple of options to consider!

• HappyCell Link bracelet band
• KADES Solid stainless steel iWatch band
• top4cus Apple Watch band

HappyCell Link bracelet band

If you want the classic Apple Link Bracelet look for less, then keep the HappyCell Link bracelet band in mind as a high-quality, reliable option!

The HappyCell band is made with a stainless steel alloy that secures around your wrist via a butterfly enclosure. In order to make the band smaller, you have to remove the individual links for the HappyCell bracelet to fit your wrist in the most comfortable way possible.

This particular band comes in a sleek black or a shiny silver, both of which are bound to perfectly pair with whatever style of Apple Watch you have.

See at Amazon

KADES Solid stainless steel iWatch band

Made from a durable stainless steel, and designed in four classic Apple colors, the KADES Solid stainless steel iWatch band is worth keeping in mind as you hunt for the perfect Apple Link Bracelet look-alike.

With up to 10 removable links, a double-button folding clasp, and a modern, brushed metal style, the KADES watch band matches the timeless feel of the Apple Link bracelet effortlessly.

The band even comes in four colors, including a vibrant rose gold, bright gold, silver, and black, so you won’t have to worry about mismatching your most tech-forward wrist accessory ever again!

See at Amazon

top4cus Apple Watch band

To quote Amazon user Saucin right off the top,

THIS BAND IS BAE!!!

Designed with a stainless steel alloy and super easy to install, the top4cus Apple Watch band is a high-quality Apple Watch band option that’ll save you some money if you’re looking for an Apple Link Bracelet dupe.

The band itself comes in a black or silver and secures with a butterfly clasp so your Apple Watch won’t slide off your wrist.

See at Amazon

What do you think?

Is there a Apple Link Bracelet alternative that you think we missed on our list? Let us know in the comments below and we’ll be sure to check it out!

There are few things worse than checking your phone and seeing that low battery warning when you’re far away from a charger. It can lead to some real anxiety. Battery packs will help, but most are so bulky that it can be tough to take them along with you.

Get this pocket-sized battery pack for $20! Learn more

But that’s where this LithiumCard Wallet Battery pack can help! It offers 1,200mAh of power in a sleek package that’s about the size of a wallet and includes a built-in Micro USB or Lightning Connector to keep your devices charged.

Best of all, you can get yours for only $20 — that’s 66% off the regular price! It’s available in your choice of black or silver to match your style.

This thing is compact, roughly the size of a stack of five credit cards. At 1/5 of an inch thick, you can toss this in your bag or jacket pocket and always have that backup power available to you when you need it.

Star your high-paying career as a computer security specialist! Learn more

Enjoy the premium design of this durable aluminum battery pack, which can be yours for only $20. Stash it in your wallet or use the NanoStik pad to attach it directly to your phone. The choice — and power — can be yours, so act now!