Many models of the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus are available. All models from Apple are available within a couple of days.

This will be the second to last update of iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus.

iPhone 7

• Sprint - Rose Gold 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Gold 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Silver 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Black 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Jet Black 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Rose Gold 32GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/10.
• Verizon - Gold 32GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/10.
• Verizon - Silver 32GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/10.
• Verizon - Black 32GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/10.
• Verizon - Black 128GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/10.

iPhone 7 Plus

• Sprint - Rose Gold 128GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/12.
• Sprint - Rose Gold 256GB has slipped from 12/31 to 1/6.
• Sprint - Black 256GB has slipped from 12/26 to 1/6.
• Sprint - Jet Black 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/18.
• Verizon - Rose Gold 32GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/6.
• Verizon - Gold 32GB has slipped from 1/3 to 1/6.
• Verizon - Black 32GB has slipped from 1/3 to 1/6.
• Verizon - Rose Gold 128GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/6.
• Verizon - Rose Gold 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 'Unavailable'.
• Verizon - Silver 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 1/20.

If you want an iPhone or iPhone 7 Plus, it is best to order it from Apple and do it right now, in order to get it before Christmas.

iPhone 7

There have been no changes for the iPhone 7 from the Carriers.

iPhone 7 Plus

• AT&T - Black 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Silver 32GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Black 32GB has slipped to 12/31.
• Sprint - Rose Gold 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Black 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Jet Black 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Rose Gold 256GB has slipped to 12/31.
• Sprint - Gold 256GB has slipped to 12/31.
• Sprint - Silver 256GB has slipped to 12/31.
• Sprint - Black 256GB has slipped to 12/26.
• Sprint - Jet Black 256GB is now 'Available'.
• T-Mobile - Black 32GB has slipped from 12/16 to 12/28.
• T-Mobile - Silver 128GB has slipped from 12/16 to 12/22.
• Verizon - Gold 32GB has slipped to 1/3.
• Verizon - Black 32GB has slipped to 1/3.

Back at Apple's September 2016 event, where they announced the iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus, Apple unveiled a couple of new products. The first, was a new set of wireless headphones; the AirPods. These have the same shape as the EarPods, however they are entirely wireless. This was not the only new headphone announced by Apple. the second is the Beats Solo 3 Wireless Headphones. These are the focus of this review.

Backstory

Beats was originally started by musical artist Dr. Dre and music industry producer Jimmy Iovine in 2006. Beats was created to make headphones as well as a streaming music service. In May of 2014 it was announced that Apple had purchased Beats for $3 Billion. The streaming music service was folded into Apple Music in July of 2015.

The Beats line has a variety of different headphones, from the Beats X, in ear headphones, to the Beats Studio, over the ear headphones. The Beats Solo line has both wired as well as wireless versions. The Beats Solo 3 Wireless and AirPods have something unique in them, a custom chip. The chip Apple has dubbed the W1.

W1

The W1 chip is an Apple designed chip that is specifically for being able to quickly pair with any iOS 10 or macOS Sierra device. The W1 chip also enables is the syncing of the pairing information between all of the devices using the same iCloud account.

The synchronization with iCloud is designed to allow your devices to automatically switch, without having to go through the tedious, "un-pair", "re-pair" dance that is typical of Bluetooth enabled devices.

Solo 3 Wireless

This is my first pair of Beats headphones, but definitely not my first pair of headphones in general. The Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones come in a decent size package and includes as number of items. These items include: a Carrying Case, micro-usb charging cable, a 3.5mm headphone with Microphone cable, and a carabiner, to attach the case to a bag.

The 3.5mm headphone with Microphone cable is to connect the Beats Solo 3's to any device that has a standard 3.5mm connection. When you connect the 3.5mm cable, the Beats Solo 3's headphones will automatically power off, but the music will continue.

The Beats Solo 3 utilize Bluetooth to be able to connect to devices wirelessly. The Bluetooth protocol used is Class 1, which is likely Bluetooth 4.0 Low Energy (LE). This means that they are able to be used with any bluetooth enabled device; whether it is an Apple device or a non-Apple device, the W1 chip enables this functionality.

Pairing

As mentioned above, the W1 chip makes it easier to connect to iOS 10, macOS Sierra, and watchOS 3 devices. The pairing of the devices is quite simple:

• Make sure bluetooth is on
• Turn on the Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones
• Hold down the power button on the Beats Solo 3 headphones for one second.
• Follow the on screen steps.

Those steps are easily summed up in three screenshots.

Once the Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones are paired, you can being listening to whatever audio you would like.

Battery Life

Apple rates the Beats Solo 3 wireless at 40 hours of time between charges. I have not thoroughly tested the battery life, but I have not had to charge them more than twice since I received them. Even if the battery life is not 100% as advertised, it is likely close to the 40 hours.

Given that I purchased the Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones on Black Friday, I was able to use them in the cold. By cold, I don't just mean around 32 degrees Fahrenheit. It was zero degrees outside while using them. This is definitely not recommended. I went outside when they had 80% battery life remaining. Within 20 minutes the headphones were completely drained.

It should be noted that the Beats Solo 3's were under a hat and covered by a hoodie as well. I don't know if this was just a fluke, or if this is how they behave in the extreme cold.

Wired

One of the benefits of the Beats Solo 3 Wireless is the ability to also use them wired. and not just wirelessly. There is one thing to note about using them wired, besides the headphones powering off when plugged in. The cable is truly designed to only go one direction. While you could plug in to either side, the cable is designed to have the straight plug in the headphones, and the 90 degree angle side plugged into the device. If you switch the two, you will only get mono sound; however, it will be much louder which may be what you are attempting to achieve.

Adjusting the headband

One of the aspects of the Beats Solo 3's is that the controls are on the opposite side of those on the EarPods. This does take some time to get accustom to.

The second thing that the headphones actually collapse, to close. While this is not unique, it is something that you should be aware of.

Sound

One of the complaints that many individuals have of the Beats line in general is that it has more bass than other headphones. I tested a few different headphones in order to compare the Beats Solo 3 Wireless to to other headphones. The Lightning EarPods that come with the iPhone 7, the 3.5mm EarPods, the Xbox One Headset, and the Beats Solo 3 Wireless. The Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones definitely had the most bass, but ultimately did not sound the best, compared to the others. Weirdly, the 3.5mm EarPods with the 3.5mm to Lightning adapter, sounded the best. Even better than the EarPods with native Lightning adapter.

Downsides

One of the downsides of the Beats Solo 3's is also one of its benefits. The Beats Solo 3's are designed to sit snugly right on your ears, and they do. However, this poses a problem for those of us who have glasses. The Beats Solo 3's may ease up over time, but I am not sure if this is the case, given that they are designed to fold, so they are meant to maintain their shape. You can adjust the headband of the Beats Solo 3's, but when this is done, the Beats Solo 3's do not fit as well on one's head.

Final Thoughts

Overall, the Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones work just as advertised. They seamlessly switch between devices. The battery life, provided you do not use the in a super cold environment, is really good. If you wear glasses, the Beats Solo 3's may require some adjustments so your glasses will not dig into your temples. The Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones are not inexpensive, by any means. If, however, you are looking for a pair of on ear headphones and you have the means, the Beats Solo 3 Wireless headphones may be the right choice for you. You can buy them from Amazon or Apple.

If you are looking for an iPhone 7 in time for Christmas, now is the time to order. They should still arrive before the holiday. There are some carrier specific models that will not arrive until well after the holiday, so it may be ideal to order from Apple today.

iPhone 7

• Sprint - 256GB Models may not arrive until 12/31, but all other models are still available.
• T-Mobile - All iPhone 7 Models on T-Mobile will still likely arrive before Christmas, but you must order today.

iPhone 7 Plus

• T-Mobile - All iPhone 7 Plus Models on T-Mobile will still likely arrive before Christmas, but you must order today.
• AT&T - Rose Gold 32GB has slipped from 12/12 to 1/2.
• AT&T - Silver 32GB has slipped from 12/12 to 1/2.
• AT&T - Black 32GB has slipped from 12/12 to 1/2.
• AT&T - Black 128GB has slipped from 12/12 to 1/2.
• Sprint - Rose Gold 128GB has slipped from 'Available' to 1/6.
• Sprint - Gold 128GB has slipped from 'Available' to 1/6.
• Sprint - Silver 128GB has slipped from 'Available' to 1/6.
• Verizon -Jet Black 128GB is now 'Available'.

Most iPhone 7 and iPhone 7 Plus models are available from Carriers, if you are looking to buy an iPhone 7 Plus from Apple, it may be best to do so now, as the ship date is very close to the Holidays.

iPhone 7

• Sprint - Rose Gold 256GB has slipped from Available to 12/5.
• Sprint - Gold 256GB has slipped from Available to 12/5.
• Sprint - Silver 256GB has slipped from Available to 12/5.
• Sprint - Black 256GB has slipped from Available to 12/5.
• Sprint - Jet Black 256GB has slipped from Available to 12/5.

iPhone 7 Plus

• AT&T - Jet Black 256GB has improved from 12/19 to 12/12.
• Sprint - Rose Gold 32GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Silver 128GB is now 'Available'.
• T-Mobile - Silver 32GB has improved from 12/12 to 12/9.
• T-Mobile - Black 32GB has slipped from 12/5 to 12/14.
• T-Mobile - Black 128GB has slipped from 12/5 to 12/14.
• T-Mobile - Rose Gold 256GB has improved from 12/12 to 12/9.
• T-Mobile - Silver 256GB has improved from 12/12 to 12/9.
• Verizon - Black 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Rose Gold 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Gold 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Black 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Jet Black 128GB has slipped to 12/14.

There have been a number of changes. This is likely your last chance to get an iPhone 7 Plus from Apple before Christmas, so order it NOW!.

iPhone 7

• AT&T - Gold 32GB is now 'Available'.
• AT&T - Silver 32GB is now 'Available'.
• AT&T - Black 32GB is now 'Available'.
• AT&T - Rose Gold 128GB is now 'Available'.
• AT&T - Jet Black 128GB is now 'Available'.
• AT&T - Rose Gold 256GB is now 'Available'.
• AT&T - Gold 256GB is now 'Available'.
• AT&T - Silver 256GB is now 'Available'.
• AT&T - Black 256GB is now 'Available'.
• AT&T - Jet Black 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Gold 256GB has slipped from 'Available' to 12/5.
• Sprint - Silver 256GB has slipped from 'Available' to 12/5.
• Sprint - Black 256GB has slipped from 'Available' to 12/5.

iPhone 7 Plus

• AT&T - Rose Gold 32GB has slipped to 12/6.
• AT&T - Gold 128GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/6.
• AT&T - Silver 128GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/6.
• AT&T - Black 128GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/6.
• AT&T - Rose Gold 256GB has slipped to 12/12.
• AT&T - Gold 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/6.
• AT&T - Silver 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/6.
• AT&T - Black 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/6.
• AT&T - Jet Black 256GB has slipped to 12/19.
• Sprint - Rose Gold 32GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/14.
• Sprint - Gold 32GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Silver 32GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/19.
• Sprint - Silver 32GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/19.
• Sprint - Rose Gold 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Gold 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Silver 128GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/9.
• T-Mobile - Black 32GB has improved from 12/7 to 12/5.
• T-Mobile - Rose Gold 128GB has improved from 12/12 to 12/5.
• T-Mobile - Gold 128GB has improved from 12/12 to 12/5.
• T-Mobile - Silver 128GB has improved from 12/12 to 12/5.
• T-Mobile - Black 128GB has improved from 12/12 to 12/5.
• T-Mobile - Silver 256GB has slipped to 12/12.
• T-Mobile - Jet Black 256GB has improved from 12/12 to 12/5.
• Verizon - Silver 32GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Rose Gold 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Silver 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Jet Black 128GB has slipped from 12/5 to 12/14.
• Verizon - Silver 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Black 256GB has slipped from 12/5 to 12/9.

In June of 2012, at their E3 conference, Ubisoft unveiled a brand new intellectual property. This one was a twist on the genre of open-world games. The game, was Watch Dogs, also seen as WATCH_DOGS. The game was a commercial success with over 10 million copies being sold in 2014. With the game being successful, Ubisoft has produced a sequel, Watch Dogs 2; which is the focus of this review. Given the high level of similarities, with regards to the mechanics, between Watch Dogs and Watch Dogs 2, let us start there.

A bit of backstory for Watch Dogs is needed. Due to a blackout in the Northeastern United States, the Blume Corporation builds a new Central Operating System (ctOS), that provides a way to have everything connected.

Chicago

The open world of Watch Dogs is based on a fictionalized version of Chicago. The game allowed variety of neighborhoods that ranged from run-down areas to the most affluent. The game included iconic sights within Chicago. Some of these included the EL, the Sears Tower, and even Buckingham Fountain.

Within Watch Dogs, you play as "The Vigilante" also known as Aiden Pierce. Aiden was seen during a robbery of a Hotel, and since he ended up leaving during that robbery, a bounty is put on him. The hit man is instructed to take out his family, if necessary.

The hitman manages to accidentally kill Aiden Pearce's niece Lena, so he is out to get revenge. That is where Watch Dogs starts.

Gameplay

Almost everything in Watch Dogs was "hackable", meaning that you can use your phone to hack other individuals. When you did this, you could intercept a variety of things. These may include: money, chats, or even phone calls. The money would be the most helpful, but reading chat conversations or listening to phone calls could provide an entertaining insight into each pedestrian as they innocently go about their lives.

Similarly, this means that there are some objects within the world that are "hackable". Some examples include cell phones, cars, city infrastructure, doors, and a number of other items.

With many first person shooter games, you are limited to the actions that you can perform. The same is true with Watch Dogs, but part of the gameplay of Watch Dogs that defines the Watch Dogs games is the fact that besides being an open-world, it is also a puzzle game.

In the first Watch Dogs there was an aspect to the game where you had to turn items to be able to activate other items. As an example, you would start with a power unit with lines In Watch Dogs, this was so prevalent that the "Peephole" achievement. These puzzles continue in Watch Dogs 2, however they are not nearly as common.

Watch Dogs 2

Watch Dogs 2 takes the success of Watch Dogs, and adds to it. In Watch Dogs 2, you play as Marcus Holloway, an Oakland-based hacker trying to get into Dedsec. In order to be initiated, Marcus, also known as Retr0, must go on a mission. This is the opening mission.

Technology

Watch Dogs introduced the original mechanism of using a cell phone to hack individuals. With the advancement of only a couple of years, Watch Dogs 2 has been able to add a few new mechanisms.

Watch Dogs 2 uses some of the technology is RC. The RC Car can jump, taunt and even drop weapons against enemies. The same can be said for the Drone. The Drone is needed for some levels, as well as some collectables.

One of the technologies that have become more ubiquitous since the original Watch Dogs is 3D Printing. In Watch Dogs, you could go into a gun shop to purchase weapons. However, with Watch Dogs 2, you can now use a 3D printer to print out, and even adorn, your weapon of choice. You can even do some side missions to be able to get different paint jobs for your weapons.

Another aspect to technology that has become quite common is the act of taking a selfie, or self-picture. This is doable within Watch Dogs 2, as is explained below.

San Francisco

One of the side missions of almost any game is to collect things. In Watch Dogs, there was the "Peephole" achievement, mentioned above, where you would use hacking to peek into what others were doing to get an even richer sense of the gaming universe.

Watch Dogs 2 does have a similar side mission, but this is to get pictures of some of the iconic tourist sights in San Francisco. One of the twists with this, you can use the front-facing camera on your in-game phone to take pictures of yourself. Just like social media sites in life, characters will comment, in-game, on the pictures that you take.

The game world is not just confined to San Francisco, but encompasses the surrounding area. Some of these are Silicon Valley, Marin County, and Oakland. When you look at the map, it may seem small, but it really is not that small.

The scenery of San Francisco is spot on. Having never been there myself, it would seem like it is an accurate replication of what the San Francisco area is like. People who live in the Bay Area, or have visited enough, can verify or refute that statement.

Game Play

As mentioned above, Watch Dogs 2 implements many of the same mechanisms as in Watch Dogs. You are still able to hack phones, cameras, cars, and city infrastructure. However, the mechanisms are expanded upon. For instance, there are now two additional items to help you in the game. The first is as remote control car. An RC car was introduced in the Watch Dogs expansion, Bad Blood. However, it plays an even more prominent role in Watch Dogs 2.

In Watch Dogs 2, the RC car is necessary, not only for being able to get to through certain missions, but also in order to avoid detection. There is another mechanism, a drone. The drone is used for simliar tasks. However, it can come in even handier than the RC car can.

Just like in Watch Dogs, you come across additional characters that will either help or hinder you along the way. A number of these individuals are hackers, and assist in some ways. While others are those out stop you.

Control Scheme

The control scheme for Watch Dogs 2 is different than it was for Watch Dogs. After playing through Watch Dogs 2, and then going back and playing the first couple of missions of Watch Dogs again, it took some re-orientation to get back into using the proper controls. It is a minor thing, but something to be aware of.

Final Thoughts

After playing through the entire game. Some may think that the storyline is entirely implausible. Some aspects of it appear to be impractical. However, one thing that Watch Dogs 2 does, is make its own social commentary about not just humans, but also on technology and society as a whole.

Overall, Watch Dogs 2 is an improvement over Watch Dogs. The game play is good and the story, even with some quibbles, is pretty good. There is more to do in the game, from ATV racing, drone racing, or even grabbing bags of cash. There is plenty for all users to enjoy within the game. If you enjoy open-world games, and in particular, if you enjoyed Watch Dogs, then Watch Dogs 2 is worth getting.

Where would I like to see them go next? Maybe England, because ctOS is already, if not super close, to becoming a reality. Everything is being monitored there, so it would make for a possible candidate for future expansion.

Watch Dogs 2 is available on Xbox One, Playstation 4, and PC. Links below are to purchase the title from Amazon.

iPhone 7

• AT&T - Rose Gold 128GB has gone from 'Available' to 11/30.
• Sprint - Rose Gold 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Gold 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Silver 256GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Black 256GB is now 'Available'.

iPhone 7 Plus

• AT&T - Black 32GB has improved from 12/15 to 11/30.
• AT&T - Jet Black 128GB has improved from 12/15 to 11/30.
• T-Mobile - Silver 32GB has slipped from 11/24 to 12/12.
• T-Mobile - Rose Gold 128GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/12.
• T-Mobile - Gold 128GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/12.
• T-Mobile - Silver 128GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/12.
• T-Mobile - Black 128GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/12.
• T-Mobile - Jet Black 128GB has slipped from 11/23 to 12/5.
• T-Mobile - Rose Gold 256GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/12.
• T-Mobile - Silver 256GB has improved from 12/7 to 11/29.
• T-Mobile - Jet Black 256GB has slipped from 11/30 to 12/12.
• Verizon - Black 32GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/1.
• Verizon - Gold 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Silver 128GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/1.
• Verizon - Black 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/5.
• Verizon - Jet Black 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 12/5.

If you are going to buy an iPhone 7 Plus for the holidays, NOW is the time to make the purchase to have the best chance of the phone being available for the holidays.

iPhone 7

• AT&T - Rose Gold 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Sprint - Jet Black 256GB is now 'Available'.

iPhone 7 Plus

• AT&T - Black 128GB has improved from 12/12 to 12/1.
• T-Mobile - Gold 32GB has slipped a month from 11/21 to 12/21.
• T-Mobile - Silver 32GB has improved a bit from 11/30 to 11/24.
• T-Mobile - Rose Gold 128GB has improved a week from 12/7 to 11/30.
• T-Mobile - Gold 128GB has improved a week from 12/7 to 11/30.
• T-Mobile - Silver 128GB has slipped from 11/20 to 11/30.
• T-Mobile - Rose Gold 256GB has improved a week from 12/7 to 11/30.
• T-Mobile - Jet Black 256GB has improved a week from 12/7 to 11/30.
• Verizon - Rose Gold 32GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Gold 32GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Silver 32GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Gold 128GB has improved from 11/30 to 11/25.
• Verizon - Black 128GB has improved from 11/23 to 12/1.
• Verizon - Jet Black 128GB is now 'Available'.
• Verizon - Gold 256GB has slipped from 11/25 to 12/7.

iPhone 7

• Sprint - Rose Gold 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 11/28 - 12/16.
• Sprint - Gold 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 11/28 - 12/16.
• Sprint - Silver 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 11/28 - 12/16.
• Sprint - Black 256GB has gone from 'Available' to 11/28 - 12/16.

iPhone 7 Plus

• Sprint - Black 32GB has slipped from 11/15 to 11/30.
• Sprint - Silver 128GB has gone from 11/28 to 11/21.
• Sprint - Silver 256GB has gone from 11/14 to 11/28.
• T-Mobile - Silver 32GB has slipped from 11/16 to 11/30.
• T-Mobile - Rose Gold 128GB has slipped from 11/16 to 12/7.
• T-Mobile - Gold 128GB has slipped from 11/16 to 12/7.
• T-Mobile - Black 128GB has slipped from 11/16 to 12/7.
• T-Mobile - Silver 256GB has slipped from 11/28 to 12/7.
• Verizon - Black 128GB has gone from 'Available' to 11/23.
• Verizon - Jet Black 256GB has gone from 11/30 to 'Available'.