5 great tech brands you’ve probably never heard of
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At Insider Picks we try to write about a mix of big and small companies — whether they're the titans you've heard of or up-and-coming startups looking to disrupt an industry.
We've written about the products from the five companies below, but in case they've fallen under your radar, we're calling them out again here. You'll find out who they are, what makes them interesting, and which of their products are most worth checking out.
You might be surprised that a company you've heard of only once or twice is making the product you wish you'd bought months ago.
MonopriceWho they are:
Monoprice has been a long-time friend of geeks looking to avoid high markups on cables from traditional big-box retailers.
Why you should know about them:
They're not just about cables anymore! For the past few years, Monoprice has started to enter different industries, but their mantra has stayed the same: cut out the middle step between the product and customer, and save the customer money. Their emphasis is placed on value, so in many cases, you'll be getting a Monoprice product that's comparable to a name-brand one, but without any extra bells and whistles.
Which products you should pay attention to:
5.1-Channel Home Theater Speaker System, $99.99, available at Amazon
Pad & Quill
Who they are:
Pad & Quill is a retailer selling hand-crafted cases for Apple (and some Android) devices.
Why you should know about them:
If style and craftsmanship are two attributes you're looking for in a case for your tech, Pad & Quill should be your first — and maybe only — destination. Out of all the cases I've tried for my phone, none match the aesthetics of the company's Woodline Case.
I'll still try other cases for review, but Pad & Quill's continues to be the phone case I use on a daily basis. Many of their products are hand-assembled in the US, so if you're looking to support the domestic economy with an aesthetically peerless case, you should certainly check them out.
Which products you should pay attention to:
Woodline Case for iPhone 7, $49.95, available at Pad & Quill
Woodline Case for iPhone 7 Plus, $49.95, available at Pad & Quill
Contega Linen iPad Pro 9.7 Case, $119.95, available at Amazon
Contega Linen iPad Pro 12.9 Case, $129.95, available at Amazon
Cartella Slim Case for 2016 Macbook Pro 13, $89.99, available at Pad & Quill
Cartella Slim Case for 2016 Macbook Pro 15, $99.99, available at Pad & Quill
You can check out all of Pad & Quill's products here.
Mophie
Who they are:
As the original makers of the iPhone battery case, mophie has cemented their legacy as a key mobile-accessory maker.
Why you should know about them:
If you care at all about keeping your devices alive, mophie should be one of the first companies that you should think of. They're all about making batteries of all shapes and sizes, but their standout products are their battery cases. I've tried two of them: one for my iPhone 6 Plus and one for my iPhone 7 Plus, and both have impressed. They're relentless in their pursuit of making battery cases that keep bulk and weight down to a minimum, which I can appreciate.
Which products you should pay attention to:
Juice Pack for iPhone 6/6s, $69.99, available at Amazon
Juice Pack for iPhone 6/6s Plus, $128.52, available at Amazon
Juice Pack for iPhone 7, $91.09, available at Amazon
Juice Pack for iPhone 7 Plus, $99.99, available at Amazon
**CURRENTLY ONLY AVAILABLE THROUGH THIRD PARTY SELLERS WITH PRIME SHIPPING**
Power Capsule, $39.95, available at Amazon
Editor's note: The charging pad comes bundled with the iPhone 6/6s and iPhone 6/6s Plus cases, but isn't bundled with the iPhone 7/Plus case. It can be purchased separately here.
You can check out all of mophie's products here.
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