MacFormat UK – June 2019

APPLE CHOICE iOS hardware

E

ver wanted to

tap into a Wi-Fi

network with,

well, a tap? No complex

passwords to enter, so no

fuss. That’s what Wifi Porter

promises with its puck-

shaped Porter. It works –

really well, in fact.

Setup is simple: just scan

the QR code on the base of the

Wifi Porter. If you have a 2018

iPhone, tap the device to get

the configuration app; if you

don’t, you’ll need to head over

to wifiporter.com/setup.

To join a network, just tap

the body again. On pre-2018

devices this won’t work, but

a printable

QR code that

attaches to the

back of the Wifi

Porter allows these

older devices to connect

to your Wi-Fi with a scan of

the Camera app. Not as slick,

but still easy enough to do.

The Wifi Porter would be

a useful addition to homes

where there are often new

guests, or for those with a

small business that want to

make the process as painless

as possible for customers.

The Porter looks really

stylish, and there’s also a

limited edition version made

of hard maple and Italian

leather for $59.95 (about £45).

iOS 12 already has a

feature that enables you to

share your Wi-Fi with other

iOS devices – tap to join a

new network, then bring a

device that has the password

close – but the Wifi Porter’s

method is faster and it works

with Android devices too.

NICK ODANTZIS

Easy, painless Wi–Fi

sharing, but a bit on

the pricey side.

++++++

Easy Wi-Fi connection

Overkill for some

VERDICT

Wifi Porter

Connect to Wi–Fi with a tap

$39.95 (about £30) FROM Ten One Design, wifiporter.com

FEATURES Tap-to-connect, printable QR code for setup

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88 | MACFORMAT | JUNE 2019

T

hese days, your

Mac, iPad or

iPhone can act as

an audio workstation for

recording tracks. With the

Spire Studio, iZotope hopes

to make the process even

easier by packing multitrack

recording into this portable,

user-friendly gadget.

The Spire Studio records

up to eight tracks, one after

another, with a few button

presses. The interface is

stripped to the bone, making

it simple to navigate. There

are only five buttons to

contend with: new song,

volume, soundcheck, and

record and play.

The buttons are easy to

hit even when you’ve got a

guitar or cello in front of you.

The top of the cylindrical

little unit features a touch-

sensitive circular LED pad

that serves as a VU (volume

unit) meter, a guide to the

amount of tracks used, and

as a means for raising or

lowering the monitoring

levels in your headphones.

It has an omni-directional

condenser mic built into the

front, and there are other

professional XLR inputs.

The device works best

when used with the free

Spire Music Recorder app,

which lets you add effects

and has some limited editing

features. The device can

also be used in a basic form

without the app if you just

want to capture a sound

quickly and export it later.

The Spire Studio is a

brilliant tool if you want

to record yourself in a

high-quality, f lexible way.

It’s so easy to record your

next hit riff before it melts

away. DEREK ADAMS

This portable gadget will help you

capture that sure-fire smash hit.

iZotope Spire Studio

Record music wherever you are

$349 (about £260) FROM iZotope, izotope.com FEATURES Two X L R / T S

combo jacks, 48V Phantom Power, two headphone outputs

The user-friendly

Spire Studio is ideal for

anyone who loves

creating music.

++++++

Instant multitrack

recording capability

Six-hour battery

VERDICT

No more digging around for your

password – your guests can simply

tap the Wifi Porter.