Nock Co. founded by Brad Dowdy and Jeff Bruckwicki, has been making cases for pens and notebooks and paper products for three years. Today, Nock launched a Kickstarter campaign to expand its line of cases to include a slimline briefcase called The Lanier. Brad was kind enough to send me a prototype of The Lanier a couple of weeks ago, so I thought I would share my impressions of it with MacStories readers.
Posts tagged with "accessories"
Nock Kickstarts The Lanier Briefcase
Studio Neat Introduces the Material Dock
Just in time for the new iPhone 7 and Apple Watch Series 2, Studio Neat has introduced two handsome docks that integrate with charging cables that you supply. Called the Material Dock, one dock has a rounded rectangular base and charges the iPhone. The other model is circular and can charge an iPhone and an Apple Watch.
The Material Dock is made from natural, recyclable materials. The base of each dock is cut from a block of walnut features a soft matte finish. The iPhone and Apple Watch are supported by pieces of cork while charging. Small adjustments to the cork support allow the Material Dock to be used with or without a case on your iPhone, which is a nice touch that not all docks have. The bottom of the dock has non-slip strips of micro-suction material to keep it secure on a nightstand, desk, or other flat surface.
On the iPhone/Apple Watch model, the Apple Watch sits in front of the iPhone, which blocks the Home button. This probably wouldn’t be an issue in under most scenarios that I would use the Material Dock, but if you expect you might want to use your iPhone while it and the Apple Watch are docked, it’s worth keeping in mind.
I haven’t tried the Material Dock, but I have used many of Studio Neat’s other products in the past and all have been well-built from high-quality materials. If you want to tame your cables and charge in style, the Material Dock looks like a good choice.
The Material Dock is available on Studio Neat’s website. The iPhone-only version is $45 and the iPhone/Apple Watch version is $70.
The All-New Glif iPhone Tripod Mount→
The first Glif, an iPhone tripod mount by Studio Neat, was released in November 2010. Fast forward almost six years to today and Studio Neat is back with an all-new version of the Glif that looks like the best one yet.
Having a tripod mount for your iPhone is surprisingly handy. Club MacStories members may recall that just last month, Graham Spencer and I used the Glif for two very different projects. Graham mounted his iPhone to a Glif to take time-lapse movies of the Australian sky, while I used my Glif with a GorillaPod tripod and microphone to record interviews with developers at WWDC. Those projects, which we described in detail in the Club MacStories Monthly Log, were very different, yet perfectly suited for the Glif.
The latest version of the Glif focuses on three areas. The first is a quick-release lever that makes it easier to get you iPhone in and out of the Glif. The second is multiple mounting points that let you mount the Glif in landscape or portrait mode, or attach additional items to the Glif like a light and microphone that can turn your iPhone into a portable movie rig.
The third improvement to the Glif is the introduction of two accessories. The first is a handle that screws into one of the Glif’s mounting points. The handle should make it easier to hold your iPhone steady without accidentally covering the camera lens with your finger. The second accessory is a strap that you can loop around your wrist for added protection against dropping your iPhone.
As with previous Studio Neat products, the new Glif is a Kickstarter campaign. Over time, I’ve become more cautious about the Kickstarters I back, especially when it comes to hardware products, but Studio Neat is one of the few companies where I do not hesitate to back a product I want, because it has a solid track record of past success. For a $25 pledge, you will receive the new Glif if the project is funded, while $50 gets you the Glif, handle, and wrist strap. If you want two complete sets of the Glif and its accessories, you can pledge $100.
NightStand for Apple Watch→
Cool-looking upcoming Apple Watch dock by ElevationLab:
NightStand makes daily charging a breeze. Just set your watch on, from out of the corner of your eye, no careful alignment required. Locks to your bedside table so you never have to hunt for the cord. Undocking is one-handed. Solid, soft, seamless construction. Low-profile, minimal design.
It would have been nice if Apple included a charging dock with every Apple Watch. I’m intrigued by the NightStand because of how it can be placed vertically anywhere:
Optionally mounts vertically. NightStand ships with an ultra-strong, optional to use, custom 3M adhesive back (the same adhesive GoPro and our highly-rated Anchor headphone mount uses). Mount NightStand safely to the side of your bed frame, stealthily behind your headboard, on your wall anywhere. If you ever have trouble removing it, just heat it with a hair dryer to soften the adhesive.
$29, ships May 29th.
“Wacky Mobile Cases Have Become a Serious Business”→
Adam Welch, writing at The Financial Times (via Ben Evans):
The wacky phone case made its catwalk debut at Jeremy Scott’s inaugural show for Moschino autumn/winter 2014. In keeping with the rest of the collection – kitsch, colourful, cute – it was shaped to resemble a packet of French fries.
I was in Porto Cervo last month, and I saw a Moschino boutique with the French fries case mentioned in the article. Initially, I thought it was silly, but then I looked around and all my friends and people who were checking out the store were pointing out how cool that case was because it was funny and unique.
While I’m not a case person, I’ve noticed an increase in popularity of these “wacky” phone cases – for iPhones and Android phones – over the past year. The numbers seem to prove that, just like old Nokia phones, the smartphone cover/case as a lifestyle accessory is back.
Gamevice Controller Announced for iPad mini
Wikipad, the company behind a gaming-focused Android tablet released last year, has announced Gamevice, an iOS game controller made specifically for the iPad mini. The Gamevice was originally announced for Android and Windows tablets in January but, as noted by TouchArcade, the company has seemingly switched to an iPad-only device, targeting a public release later this year with “additional platforms” following soon.
Kickstarter: Lunecase - A Unique iPhone Case with a Wireless Notification System
Here’s a unique product looking for funding on Kickstarter, the Lunecase by Concepter. It’s “an intelligent case that receives notifications from the iPhone. Powered by electromagnetic energy. Wireless, smart, elegant.”
So what’s so unique about another iPhone case? For starters, the back has a built-in notification system that displays an icon for both incoming phone calls and SMS messages – all without using a drop of the device’s battery. Lunecase does this with the help of LEDs, as it uses free energy that is emitted by the device, converting it from the iPhone’s electromagnetic energy into a usable energy to power the notification system embedded in the case. Read more
Wello iPhone Case Will Track Heart Rate, Blood Pressure, Lung Function, and More
Wello, a new iPhone case by technology and science company Azoi, aims at providing an easy way to monitor vital signs with sensors embedded directly in the accessory. As first reported by GigaOM, Wello will become available this Fall in the US at $199.
Just like most iPhone cases, the Wello covers the back of the iPhone to offer protection for the device. Inside the case, however, Azoi built sensors and a chip that, communicating with Bluetooth Low Energy with an iPhone app, can track and archive heart rate, blood oxygen levels, blood pressure, temperature, electrocardiography (ECG), and respiration. Through a separate, attachable spirometer, Wello can also measure lung capacity and air flow; to use Wello, you just hold your phone up as shown in the promo video and wait a few seconds for the system to process data and pass it to the app.
Wello won’t offer diagnoses or prescribe medications – it’s meant to replace checkups that normally require specialized equipment at a doctor’s office, or a basic knowledge on how to operate them at home. By using a simple touch interaction and the convenience of software, Wello can store and track data digitally, finding patterns over time that can be shown to a doctor to offer a better representation of health stats. The Wello is waiting for FDA approval, and, according to today’s announcement, daily usage will grant the device two months of battery life on a single charge.
Azoi is also thinking on making sure Wello can understand physical activity data from fitness-oriented wearable devices: today, the company has confirmed that Wello will be compatible with the FitBit API, allowing Wello to sync with a FitBit and keep data in one place. The Wello app will have support for multiple users, providing a personalized dashboard for each family member.
Wello comes at an interesting time, with Apple reportedly getting ready to announce a wearable device capable of measuring health data and interacting with iOS devices later this year. More details, including a FAQ, can be found at Azoi’s website.
Twelve South Introduces SurfacePad for iPad mini
Twelve South, makers of high-quality accessories for Mac and iOS devices, have launched the SurfacePad for iPad mini this week, a new entry in the SurfacePad line of products that aims at protecting your iPad with a leather case that adheres to the iPad and that also works as a hands-free viewing stand and typing wedge. Read more