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Events, News & Features January 8, 2014

Scosche Launches superCUBE at CES 2014? – Smallest 12W USB Wall Charger

Over the last few years I have loved the moves to smaller and smaller chargign blocks for devices, which seems to be reversing as new ‘fast charge’ devices like iPad Air and Kindle Fire HDX require more power, meaning bigger blocks. So it was a welcome announcement that Scosche Launches superCUBE at CES 2014 – Smallest 12W USB Wall Charger. “Many of our customers have both Lighting and micro USB powered devices and become frustrated with how long a dedicated charger can take to power their other mobile devices,” said Kas Alves, Executive Vice President Scosche Industries. “superCUBE allows our…

Events, News & Features January 8, 2014

Seido Rolls out New Cases at CES

It wouldn’t be CES without case manufacturers announcing new accessories for the smartphone and tablet market, and the folks at Seido are no exception. Seido has been churning out quality cases for years, going back to ye olde Palm OS days, and they are ready to protect your Galaxy Note 3, iPad, and iPhone with style!

Events, News & Features January 8, 2014

Scosche Announces magicMOUNT System for Car Home And Office

Almost everyone carries around a smart device of one kind or another. It is great that these devices have become such wonderful tools in our lives, but how often do you need a place to set them? Scosche has announced a system of magnetic magicMOUNT device mounts for the car, home or office. Full press release after the break. LAS VEGAS – January 07, 2014 –Scosche is excited to unveil the magicMOUNT system of cradle free magnetic mounts for car, home or office. User’s simply apply the magicPLATE directly to their device and hover it over one of Scosche’s new magicMOUNTs to…

Events, News & Features January 8, 2014

Polaroid and iLuv Announcements from CES 2014!

The stream of cool stuff continues with some cool looking new Polaroid and iLuv Announcements from CES 2014. The list of their introductions is insane and impossible to capture here, but it includes Polaroid cameras, tablets, smartphones, and Roku-ready HD TVs; and from iLuv no less than 14 speakers, earbuds, iPad folios and iPhone cases!

Events, Music Diary January 8, 2014

IK Multimedia Announces iRing at CES 2014

Since my wife bought me the original iRig a few years ago I have been a huge fan of stuff from IK Multimedia, currently absolutely loving the iRig Keys Pro. Now they are heading in a different direction as IK Multimedia announces iRing at CES 2014. iRing is the first motion-tracking controller for iOS music apps and offers unprecedented control.

Events, Reviews January 6, 2014

Griffin Survivor Clear Case for iPhone 5C – Pocketable Protection

The Griffin Survivor line is for those times when your phone is recreating the “Worst Case Survival Guide Handbook”. For more mundane adventures, like falling from tables and cars, there’s the Survivor Clear Case for iPhone 5C. As a bonus, the back is clear, so you can show off your choice of 5C color. But is it protective enough to bear the “Survivor” moniker?

Reviews January 5, 2014

Griffin Survivor for the iPhone 5C – Solid Protection or Overkill?

I often joke we need to bubble wrap our electronics. Nothing goes caseless in our house, because between the overenthusiastic dog and the baby who thinks everything is a teether, danger lurks everywhere. We are looking at ways to protect Sarah’s new iPhone 5C, but is the Griffin Survivor the level of protection she needs, or a case of overkill?

Reviews January 3, 2014

Take It (Almost) All off with the Lifeproof Nuud for iPhone 5C

So you got yourself a fancy new iPhone 5S or colorful iPhone 5C for Christmas, Hannukah or Festivus. Congratulations! Now you want to make sure you keep your new phone protected. It is easy to do, so long as you pick up one of Lifeproof’s cases. And if you go Nuud, you won’t even lose direct contact with your screen.

Events January 3, 2014

Soundfreaq announces the Sound Rise and Double Spot Just in Time for CES 2014

In 2013 we reviewed the Soundfreaq Sound Step Lightning and the Soundfreaq Sound Spot. Both impressed with their sound, value, and design. Now Soundfreaq has announced two new products — the Sound Rise and the Double Spot. The Sound Rise is the company’s take on the alarm clock; the Double Spot is two Sound Spots in one.

Gear Bits January 2, 2014

Sparkbeats Case Gives Your Phone the Gift of Light

I remember when the lighted suits in Tron seemed so amazing and futuristic. What if you could have an iPhone case with a similar look? Sparkbeats takes the iPhone LED flash and bends the light through the case, perfect for messages and calls. A $37 pledge on Kickstarter is all it takes to light your iPhone and wow your friends.

Gear Bits January 2, 2014

Apple Worm – the Case with a Stand and Lightning Cable

My biggest problem carrying an iPhone is having a method to charge throughout the day without carrying a lightning cable. An Indiegogo project called the Apple Worm combines a case with a lightning connector. Pledges start at $20 for 5C and $21 for 5/5S. The data cable fits as a stylish colorful strip in the case that also doubles as a stand.

Gear Bits December 31, 2013

The iPhone 5 Case Was a LunaTik; Fortunately, Our Israeli Bus Driver Wasn’t

I’m finishing up leading a ten day trip to Israel that saw us traverse the entire country. From Tel Aviv to the Golan Heights to Jerusalem, we spent a good deal of time on our bus. Our driver Yuri always had his iPhone and iPad handy, and two days into the trip I noticed he had a new iPhone case.

Reviews December 23, 2013

TouchTone BlueTooth Speaker Review

Lately I have found myself listening to audio from my phone. Wether it be music or podcasts, I have come to prefer audio over television. Portable, wireless audio options with superior sound are important to me. I was recently able to try out the TouchTone from id America which promises big sound in a small package for &79.95.

Reviews December 22, 2013

Just Mobile Highway Duo and AluCable – Extrememly Elegant iPhone & iPad Accessories

I seem to never have enough chargers or charging cables on hand, probably because I never unwrap the ones that come with my devices (better resale later, y’all!). Aftermarket cables are a necessity for me, which is why I try to find ones that not only work well, they also look good. Just Mobile’s latest accessories totally fit that bill.

Reviews December 21, 2013

Evutec Karbon SP Series for iPhone 5S Looks Like Carbon Fiber Protects Like Kevlar

Evutec’s Karbon SP Series of cases for the iPhone 5S may look like they are made from Carbon Fiber but they offer the protection of Kevlar and, as a result, offer 5 times the strength of steel at the same weight. Two layers of protection and a thin, light design come together in this $49.99 case.

Reviews December 20, 2013

x-doria Scene Plus for iPhone 5S Brings Brings 3D Protection

Yesterday we took a look at x-doria’s Scene Plus for iPhone 5C. It will come as little surprise that the company is also offering a case with this great design for the iPhone 5S. We have one of the nicely protective, very cool-looking cases in hand and thought we might take a look. At under $30 they are a great deal.

News & Features December 20, 2013

Lightning Strikes Blue Microphone’s Spark Digital

I was impressed by Blue Microphone’s Spark Digital. In my review I noted that it, “the world’s first studio condenser microphone to offer both USB and iPad connectivity” does an excellent job of recording audio from both your Mac and your iPhone. I did, however, lament the fact that it only shipped with a 30-PIN Apple connector. No longer!

Editorials December 20, 2013

You Might Need Protection FROM These iPhone Cases

There is a whole niche of iPhone cases designed to protect your precious phone. Otterbox, Lifeproof, Survivor, the list goes on and on. A very different type of protective niche has begun to appear, where your iPhone case is designed to protect YOU, not the phone. Would you be willing to hold a can of mace to your head? How about a stungun?

Outdoors, Yum Log December 19, 2013

ThermoWorks and iGrill Mini Help You Check Your Temps

With the holidays comes some massive meal preparation. And that can add some major pressure to what can already be a stressful time of the year. Luckily, our friends at ThermoWorks and iDevices have released two neat new devices to help take some of the hassle out of the holidays. Read along for a look at the new ChefAlarm and the iGrill Mini.

Reviews December 19, 2013

Reveal and Protect Your iPhone 5C with x-doria’s Scene Plus for iPhone 5c

If you bought the iPhone 5C, then it is a pretty good guess you like color. That’s great until you realize that most cases hide the colorful iPhones behind a protective layer, which is where the x-doria Scene Plus for iPhone 5C steps in: it protects your iPhone 5C even as it allows the color to reveal itself.

Gear Bits December 19, 2013

More Colorful Picture Taking With Olloclip’s New 3-in-1 iPhone 5C Lens

I’m a big fan of Olloclip’s various smartphone lens offerings and they just introduced a $59.99 3-IN-1 clip-on lens solution for the iPhone 5C. Best of all, like the iPhone 5C, it comes in a range of awesome colors. It offers wide-angle, fisheye and macro lens and is ready to take the iPhone’s 8-megapixel iSight camera to new heights.