Posts tagged with "accessories"

Kickstarter: i+Case - Machined Aluminum Bumper Case for the iPhone 4S

Most people accessorize their iPhones with cases, bumpers, stickers, etc. to make their device unique and individual. I like a minimal case that adds some protection around the device but without distractions. The i+Case by Jason Valalik and Chungming Ying is a sleek, beautiful aluminum bumper-style case that is machined out of a single block of aluminum. Sound familiar? Apple uses the same process to make their MacBook Pros. After the case is machined, it goes through an anodization process increasing durability and resistance to corrosion. Installation is simple and requires four stainless steel screws and an included screwdriver.

The i+Case Features:

  • Slim metal profile showcases more of your iPhone 4S and 4.
  • Minimalist, form-fit feature covers corners and protects better than plastic cases.
  • Minimal assembly required, tool kit with mini-screw driver, screws and aluminum buttons (Volume, On/Off, Mute) included.
  • Access to all ports and functions.
  • Weight: 16 grams.

Video after the break. Read more

Twelve South PlugBug Combines Charging with iPad/iPhone and MacBook

Twelve South, the company behind the Compass, BookBook, BaseJump and many other great products, has released the PlugBug, an iPad/iPhone wall charger that connects onto the MacBook’s Power Adapter, allowing you to charge a MacBook and an iPad/iPhone at the same time from only one power outlet. The PlugBug fits all MacBook Power Adapters too.

Snap the PlugBug onto any MacBook Power Adapter and now have one device that can be a lifesaver when you need to charge both your MacBook and your iPad or iPhone. A great idea when traveling, at work or anywhere you want to charge 2 devices with one plugin. Video after the break. Read more

ThinkGeek Teases “IRIS 9000” Voice Control Module for iPhone 4S

Only Macintosh was designed to function perfectly, saving billions of monetary units. You like your Macintosh better than me, don’t you (Dave)?

My name isn’t Dave but I think it’s safe to say we can all answer “Yes” to this question from HAL. This is an excerpt from the commercial Apple ran during the 1999 Superbowl that featured HAL 9000 from 2001: A Space Odyssey. The famous quote, “Open the pod bay doors” recently got a Siri easter egg by answering, “We intelligent agents will never live that down, apparently.” ThinkGeek is coming out with their own “HAL 9000” and calling it IRIS 9000.

The IRIS 9000 is a voice control module for the iPhone 4S that comes with a remote with a built-in microphone, a cradle and a HAL-like speaker that flickers along with Siri’s voice. The remote can trigger Siri from up to 50 feet away. Read more

Kickstarter Project: MobileMount - Mount & Kickstand for iPhone and iPad

There’s a new iPhone mount making some headlines today called the MobileMount. It’s a suction cup mount and kickstand for phones and tablets. JR Sanchez of J & M Company has produced a universal mount/kickstand, called the MobileMount, for most handheld devices with a flat surface such as iPhones and iPads.

The MobileMount is made of two twist-to-lock suction cups and a ball joint making it durable and safe. The twist-to-lock suction method can “hold devices for weeks at a time rather than simply a few hours like other competing mounts.” So why is this “twist-to-lock” method so much better? J & M says that the suction cups squeeze out most of the air when they are in the locked position creating a much stronger vacuum. Videos after the break. Read more

Mophie Unveils New iOS External Batteries, Pulse for iPod touch

With a series of tweets posted on the company’s official account earlier today, accessory maker Mophie has unveiled a new line of external batteries for iOS devices, as well as Pulse, a gaming accessory for the iPod touch we first covered in July. The new line of external batteries is showcased on Mophie’s website here, with all the items available for pre-order today. The redesigned Juice Pack Universal line includes:

Juice Pack Reserve: Small battery pack that’s lightweight and portable. Charges an iPhone or iPod with no cables (it connects through a device’s dock) with a 700 mAh battery (twice as fast as 500 mAh batteries). Shipping September 30th. $34.95.

Juice Pack Boost: External battery for iPhone and iPod that doubles as a stand, and features a 2000 mAh high output battery. An integrated LED indicator lets you track battery status, and the ultra slim design make sure the unit is extremely portable, too. Shipping September 30th. $49.95.

Juice Pack Powerstation: 4000 mAh external battery that can charge iPhones, iPods, and iPads, as well as “virtually” any USB device. The Powerstation is also compatible with several Android and BlackBerry handsets – a full list is available on Mophie’s website. Shipping September 30th. $79.95.

Today, Mophie has also confirmed the availability of Pulse, a gaming grip for the iPod touch 4G that brings enhanced sounds and feedback to the device. Gaming feedback is provided by ViviTouch Technology, and Mophie claims the Pulse will increase usability of all kinds of apps, not just games. It’s difficult to imagine how a gaming grip would enhance, say, a note-taking app, but we applaud Mophie for the effort nonetheless.

Demo video is available here. The Pulse is $99.95 on Mophie’s website.

Get Cooking with Belkin iPad Kitchen Accessories

Building a new house involves more decisions that an NFL season, seriously. For anyone that has done it, you know what I mean. One of the biggest decisions for our new house was the design of the kitchen, we wanted it to be very open and face the great room. It has given my wife and I many opportunities to explore new options for our home including modern household technologies. My wife loves to cook and she’s a great cook at that. She cooks healthy and finds alternative ways to twist a classic recipe into a killer meal while keeping your waistline from exploding. Being a good cook is more than knowing what spices and ingredients to use, it’s the tools that you use that makes you more efficient, just like computing on a Mac or iOS device.

Belkin has just released 3 new iPad kitchen accessories and they look great! The Chef Stand + Stylus includes a washable stand that is designed to get a little dirty from food, etc. It includes a stylus that has a utensil-like end that provides an easy grip and lets you navigate recipes on your iPad without having to touch the screen. The magnetic tip can be used to wake up an iPad 2 as well. The Chef Stand + Stylus is $39.99

The next kitchen accessory is the Fridge Mount for iPad 2. It can be mounted on your fridge’s door (or anywhere actually) by using 3M Command Strips, and it uses the iPad 2′s magnets to hold it in place. The Fridge Mount is $39.99

The third accessory is the Kitchen Cabinet Mount. It is easily installed without any tools by clamping to any cabinet or shelf while holding the iPad in place and away from the counter top and lets you work without having to hold your iPad. The Cabinet Mount is $49.99

Cooking apps certainly have a niche in the app market: there are many people that use their iPad for storing and exploring their recipe collections. Both the Cabinet Mount and the Chef Stand + Stylus look very appealing for our new kitchen and I think they would look great sitting on our bar or under the cabinet next to the pantry. The stylus is what I like the best, it’s universal to all these accessories. It doesn’t need to be pencil thin, and having a wide grip like a great kitchen utensil is welcome in our kitchen any day. While these won’t make you a better cook, they give you an extra hand in the kitchen. I don’t think I can coerce my wife into transferring her grandmother’s hand written cake recipes over to digital, but we can agree that these will be great additions to our new kitchen.

Belkin’s new kitchen accessories get even sweeter. Starting today through September 30th, all Belkin accessories, including these new kitchen items, are 50% off with coupon code FB50. Head over to Belkin and cash in on this great deal!

[via MacRumors]

Belkin Reveals New Thunderbolt Express Dock

Today at the Intel Developer Forum (IDF) in San Francisco, Belkin unveiled the Thunderbolt Express Dock featuring 3 USB ports, a Thunderbolt port for daisy chaining, a Firewire port and a Gigabit Ethernet port. DailyTech notes that this is the same port setup that’s found on the new 27″ Apple Thunderbolt Display – it seems very convenient that it’s the same arrangement as what Apple is already using.

The Belkin Express Dock could be very handy for Mac users wanting to expand their current port offering and don’t want to pay $999 for a Thunderbolt display. Pricing and availability have not yet been announced but the price should be reasonably below the cost of a Thunderbolt display. The next question is, will Belkin also include a Thunderbolt cable so you don’t have to dish out an extra $50 for one? [DailyTech]

mLogic’s mDock and mBack Offer Unique Backup Solutions for the Mac

mLogic has introduced two new accessories targeted toward iMacs and MacBook Pros - the mBack and mDock.

The mDock is a docking station and backup solution for your MacBook Pro. It eliminates repetitive plugging and unplugging of your peripherals, backs up your system when the MacBook Pro is docked (much like your iOS device), has front-mounted USB and headphone ports and also charges your iOS device via the “Amigo” that attaches to the back and adds an iPod/iPhone dock and a holder for the MagSafe power adapter. You can plug in such things as monitors, speakers and printers, and it comes with 500 GB or 1 TB of storage for your Time Machine backups. The mDock is $219 for 500 GB and $299 for the 1 TB option.

The mBack attaches onto the back of your iMac’s (or Thunderbolt Display) support stand and is Time Machine-compatible. It comes in 1, 2 & 3 TB versions with USB 2.0 interface. The mBack is $169 for 1 TB, $209 for 2 TB, or $349 for 3 TB.

mLogic was established by industry veteran Roger S. Mabon founder & CEO of G-Technology, Inc. – a leading provider of external disk storage solutions for Apple computers and now part of Hitachi Global Storage Technologies (recently purchased by Western Digital Corporation). Their mission is to provide innovative and exciting add-on products for Mac computers. These are very unique and reasonably priced hardware for your Macs that offer multiple solutions all in one device. If this is only the beginning for mLogic, they’ve hit the ground running. We can’t wait to see what else is down the road for mLogic. [via SlashGear]

Makayama Movie Mount for iPad 2

The iPhone’s built in camera is one of the most popular cameras in the world – ask Flickr. Many people were asking for a camera on the iPad 2, but it seems a very few use it because of its lackluster quality and awkwardness. Makayama, makers of mobile apps and software, has released the Movie Mount, an iPad 2 accessory that improves the way you can record video/pictures with the iPad 2.

The Movie Mount is a unique piece of hardware which allows the user to greatly improve video capture with Apple’s iPad 2. It has an arrangement of optional accessories that all snap onto the Movie Mount such as a tripod, tele and wide angle lenses, an optical viewfinder, a microphone and lights too. When outfitted with all Makayama’s accessories, it almost passes as a semi-pro setup. The Movie Mount also has a free iTunes app that will allow the iPad 2 to manually control video recording. You can check out the app right now, but it’s not necessary to use the Movie Mount and its accessories. Video demo after the break.

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