Posts tagged with "accessories"

iKeyboard Promises A Better Typing Experience On The iPad

I bought an original iPad last year, and an iPad 2 when it came out in the United States on March 11. If there’s one thing I had to get used to during this last year when using the tablet, that would be the virtual keyboard. Coming from an iPhone background the use of a virtual keyboard on the iPad instead of a physical one wasn’t a surprise (is there really anyone who thought Steve Jobs would accept keys on the iPad’s screen?), but still it required some serious exercise to get actual writing done. There’s no shortage of apps for writers and the iPad is also a great email machine, but getting used to fast typing on the large virtual keyboard was hard. Like most iPad users, eventually I managed to overcome my issues with “hunt-and-peck typing”, and now I write any kind of piece or email message on my iPad just fine – perhaps not as fast as I could on my computer, but still fast enough to enjoy the experience provided by apps.

However, some people clearly couldn’t get to fully appreciate or get used to advantages offered by iOS’ virtual keyboard, opening the door to a plethora of alternative solutions like cases with built-in keyboards and external Bluetooth keyboards to carry around all the time. The iKeyboard, a Kickstarter project you can check out here, aims at offering a solution between virtual typing and external accessories, adding minimal weight and bulk to your iPad, still promising to dramatically improve your typing experience.

Once placed on top of the virtual keyboard, the physical iKeyboard will simply provide better tactile feedback and give you a sense of the distance between keys on screen. The creator explains:

My solution is to provide the feedback missing from a virtual keyboard by “grafting,” or piggybacking, a real keyboard onto the screen. My invention—the iKeyboard—will sit atop the virtual keyboard and be lightweight. It will add little bulk and not increase the footprint of the tablet. It will be easy and fast to deploy and remove.The iKeyboard will improve accuracy and typing speed, letting tablet users do real writing. It will set the brain free. In certain settings—the lecture hall, the library, the classroom—the iKeyboard will be an essential tool rather than just a useful accessory.

I’m not sure about the convenience of constantly adding and removing an accessory from your iPad’s screen, but I have to say this idea sounds more intriguing than stuffing your tablet into a bulky case or being forced to use an external keyboard for writing long documents. You can contribute to the project on Kickstarter, and check out the promo video below. Read more

The Pix And Stix Project Will Let You Rock Out On GarageBand “For Real”

GarageBand is an app that everyone who owns an iPad should at least try out, regardless of your musical talent, it’s just a superb example of an app that is brilliantly designed and built for a touch screen. Yet for those that do end up using it for more than just the occasional mess around, you may find that although the iPad’s touchscreen is better than a mouse for playing the drums or guitar, it is still a little bit lacking for what you want.

Well luckily for those of you who do find that, some clever folks have decided to start manufacturing rubberized drumsticks and guitar picks for GarageBand on the iPad. They’ve been designed to work on the iPad’s touchscreen by implementing electro-conductive rubber tips, which will also mean it should be perfectly fine to use without smashing the iPad’s nice glass screen!

The designers of the Pix and Stix are running a Kickstarter-esque funding round, where they are selling a pair of drumsticks and a pick for $14.95 in order to reach a funding goal of around $8000. Just like Kickstarter, if they don’t get the required funding, you can also rest assured you won’t end up paying for them.  At this stage they think they will be selling the drumsticks and picks in the three colors of black, blue or gold metallic paint, although they note that these colors are subject to change.

If you recall the Wallee, which we discussed as one way to elevate your iPad last year, the Pix & Stix project is coming from those same people. So if you’re interested in helping these guys fund their newest project and get your own Pix and Stix, head over to the Pix and Stix website.

[Via Gizmodo]

Deflect the Damage with the G-Form MacBook Sleeve

Let’s say you’re traveling amongst the lions of Africa, nose-diving off a cliff in Australia, or out-backing in the great wilds of New Zealand. Packing your MacBook, catastrophe strikes and your backpack goes tumbling down a vertical rocky hill even the greatest mountain bikers wouldn’t cross. Not to worry, however, because your Mac is straddled by G-Form’s Extreme Sleeve, offering the same durability that battle-hardened kneepads offer extreme sports enthusiasts. Reactive Protection Technology (a fancy way of saving impact resistance) suppresses hard falls by stiffening upon impact and rippling the shockwaves of the fall evenly through the structure of the case. Crack-ready glass displays and scratch-easy aluminum frames are firmly protected. Thanks to the G-Form’s water resistant, damage deflecting padding, it’s the sleeve that’s ready for everything from the urban jungle to the great outdoors. I can’t vouch for the Superman-like armor, but I’ll be damned if I didn’t believe the home-movie after the break. Available for $69.95 at g-form.com for laptops and $59.95 for iPads, the same people who bring bone protecting gear have taken their technologies to the metal logic-boxes you clank on each day.

Read more

Kickstarter: Hive - An iPhone Amplifier + Screen Magnifier

Mark this Kickstarter project as another original concept. The Hive, by Jake Waitzman of Screendoor Studio, requires no electronics or power, and amplifies the iPhone 4’s onboard speaker in both landscape and portrait orientation. It does this by channeling the sound into a concave chamber that projects upward and outward toward the listener’s ears (much like Griffin’s AirCurve). What makes it a lot different than the AirCurve and other docks is the fresnel lens. It stands parallel to the iPhone’s screen at a set distance of 4 inches, providing crystal clear 2X magnification.

Promo videos can be seen after the break. Read more

Here’s The Sequel to the Most Minimal iPad Stand

Back in August of last year, we showed you Michiel Cornelissen’s original iPad 1 stand. We called it the “most minimal iPad stand.” Not to outdo himself but he has redesigned the PadFoot for iPad 2. It’s now even lighter and smaller than its predecessor at only 10 grams, and has an increased viewing angle as well. All while being as stable and sturdy as ever.

The new PadFoot clips to the corner of your iPad and securely stands it upright in landscape and portrait modes. Just like other larger and heavier stands, it’s great for tv, movies, and slideshows. It works well for FaceTime calls too. Read more

Kickstarter Project: Smart Shell - iPad 2 Case That Works with Smart Covers

Alex Britton of SnapCases.com has an idea to keep the back of your iPad 2 scratch free while letting you use the Apple Smart Cover you have purchased - the Smart Shell.

Apple’s Smart Cover doubles as a screen protector and a stand; it even turns your device off or on when hiding or revealing the screen. The Smart Cover doesn’t offer complete protection to the back of the iPad 2, so it is still exposed to scratches and dents. The Smart Shell helps out where the Smart Cover doesn’t, it’s a 0.8 milimeter thin shell and prevents those ugly scratches and dents. Additionally, it comes in a clear color so you can still show off that beautiful Apple logo. The Smart Cover snaps right onto the back of the iPad leaving space to attach the Smart Cover.

Video after the break. Read more

iCade iPad Arcade Cabinet Now Available, But Backordered

What began as an April Fools’ joke based off the concept of enabling iPad users to turn their device into an old-style arcade cabinet – the iCade – eventually became a real product with Atari’s official backing and a slew of games built specifically for the cabinet’s Bluetooth-based controls. When the product was “unveiled”, many thought that, in spite of the actual quality of the joke, it would never see the light of day. However, as we saw in January, ThinkGeek announced that the iCade made it after the design and pre-production stage and was set to go on sale this Spring.

And indeed, the iCade became available at $100 earlier today, only to be backordered until May within a few hours of online sales. If you were looking to buy an iCade before Easter: I’m sorry, you’ll have to wait. But of course, there’s always the DIY way to come to the rescue. [ThinkGeek via Engadget]

Turn an Old iBook into an iPad Case

Many people with broken computers either throw them away, or send them to a recycling program. Why not keep your old iBook and use its shell to make a one-of-a-kind iPad case? Sounds difficult, right? Gary Katz, who created things such as the Personal Shoebox Apple Store and The Apple Museum - 30 Years in 2 Minutes, shows you how and it’s not that difficult. All you need is an old iBook, a Dremel tool and some free time.

Demo video after the break. Read more