Apple iPhone Gear

Contour reCharge Universal Review

Reviews

Contour reCharge Universal Review

With all the restrictions on what you can and can not carry on airplane flying around, there’s one thing that seems certain.  The less you pack the better of you’ll be.  As I get my gear bag ready for CES 2010 I’m faced with a mountain of charging cables that I’ll need to stuff into my bag. One thing that will help is the Contour reCharge Universal.  The reCharge Universal is a home charger and car charger in one which allows you to simultaneously charge two devices via a USB  cable.  The reCharge comes with an iPhone/iPod cable, but it…

Cignias NAO Symphony Wireless Music Station Review

Reviews

Cignias NAO Symphony Wireless Music Station Review

If you enjoy “cutting the cords” and being able to play your music wirelessly, then we’ve got a treat for you.  Cignias was kind enough to loan us a review unit of their NAO Symphony Wireless Music Station.  One thing to quickly note is that you can still take advantage of a big pricing discount Cignias is running if you want to snap one of these up for a last minute special Christmas gift ;). I’ve been using the NAO Symphony Noir model for over a week, and I can safely say that I’m sad to send it back.  The…

iPhone EXOVault: Not your daddy's plastic slider case

News & Features

iPhone EXOVault: Not your daddy’s plastic slider case

It’s no secret.  I’ve got  ton of iPhone cases.  Are many of them the same color?  Yes.  Are many of them the same style (i.e. slider, snap on etc?)  Yes. Are you in the same situation, and tired of looking at the same old style of case for you iPhone?  Hunkering for something totally unique and totally different? The EXOvault, recently reviewed by YouTuber ThatSnazzyiPhoneGuy, might be the case you’ve been looking for. Handcrafted, by NYC artists, from solid metal stock in two pieces, the case provides you with a distinctive and beautiful handcrafted object that sets itself apart from…

Richard Solo rs1800 for iPhone Review

Reviews

Richard Solo rs1800 for iPhone Review

There’s no hiding Gear Diary’s love of the Mophie Juice Pack Air.  All the editors own one for their iPhones, and we just gave one away to a lucky Facebook friend. There’s also no hiding the lackluster performance of the iPhone’s battery.  For power users, like us, it’s often times impossible to get through a single day without having to “plug-in” at least once. Anyone who knows me knows I have a love of cases for the iPhone.  If there’s one single thing that bothers me about the Mophie Juice Pack air it’s the fact that it’s a case.  Yeah,…

Proporta Antimicrobial Silicone Case for iPhone 3G/3Gs Review

Reviews

Proporta Antimicrobial Silicone Case for iPhone 3G/3Gs Review

Ever since the H1N1 virus made national headlines, it seems more and more people are becoming uber-germ conscious.  I can’t seem to turn my head without spotting another bottle of hand sanitizer strategically placed near the front of some store or by the check out lines. Computer keyboards and mobile phones are some of the worst offenders when it comes to spreading germs around.  According to Proporta the average mobile phone has close to 26,00 germs on it per square inch!  Yuck! To help protect you from these germs they’ve released an Antimicrobial Silicone Case for the iPhone 3G and…

iBend iPhone/iPod touch Stand Review

Reviews

iBend iPhone/iPod touch Stand Review

When Larry posted news about the iBend’s release, he hit the nail on the head with regard to the iPhone accessory’s main draw. As he put it “not everything in life has to be fancy”. He was right and no one could say the iBend is fancy. A few months after its initial release however, the iBend did get a bit fancier with the release of their new Artists Series. These added some artistic flair to the accessory and $1 to the $4.99 price of the “iBend Classic”. We got our hands on one of the iBend Artist Series stands;…

Universal iPhone/iPod Cradle from USBFever Review

Reviews

Universal iPhone/iPod Cradle from USBFever Review

iPhone and iPod docks are great.  They keep your device upright while charging and syncing which allows you to easily access them.  They look cleaner on your desk and there’s no fussing with cables or connector plugs that might become damaged from overuse. But docks are not without flaws.  Many docks are device specific.  One that you purchase for your iPhone may not fit your iPod Classic and so forth.  Another problem is cases.  Most of us carry our devices protected in some sort of case.  Often these cases prevent the device from fitting properly on the dock which means…

PowerPak Wall Charger and Battery Combo - Review

Reviews

PowerPak Wall Charger and Battery Combo – Review

Larry talks a lot about the importance of device convergence. As we are packing for vacation, I am overwhelmed by the number of different chargers and cords I need to bring with me; he is more correct than I realized. In order to have the music and reading material I want during my five days in the sun. For example – to make sure my iPhone is fully usable, I’ll need the charge/sync cord, the wall adapter and my Mophie Juice Pack Air. Add to that the accessories I’ll need for my Kindle, my camera and my Bluetooth headphones, and suddenly…

Konnet HardJAC Graffito - iPhone Case Review

Reviews

Konnet HardJAC Graffito – iPhone Case Review

My favorite iPhone cases are those that are more a hard shell than a case. They take a minimalist approach to scratch protection and while they don’t offer much, if any, protection from life’s bumps and bruises, these snap-on cases don’t add much weight or bulk to the device. That’s a trade-off I’m willing to make. The latest snap-on shell I have been reviewing is a case from Konnet. The HardJAC Graffito is a three part-system that I really love using. (Well, more accurately loved since someone took a liking to it yesterday and, as a result, it is now…

Custom iFrogz Luxe Case for iPhone 3G & 3Gs Review

Reviews

Custom iFrogz Luxe Case for iPhone 3G & 3Gs Review

Last week I told you about the launch of the new iFrogz Luxe custom case. I personally love custom cases.  There’s nothing worse than being in a crowded room of iPhone users, looking around and seeing that many of them have on the same case you do.  It’s sort of like two stars who end up wearing the same dress on the red carpet of the Oscars.  It just isn’t pretty. Being able to design your own color combination almost insures you will not run into that problem. Well iFrogz was kind enough to let me go through the entire…

The Callpod Fueltank DUO Rechargeable Dual Device Power Review

Reviews

The Callpod Fueltank DUO Rechargeable Dual Device Power Review

photos by Kevin It never fails – no matter what precautions I take, I still need more juice for my various gadgets. Whether it’s my iPhone showing the red battery meter of doom, or a “battery is low” ping on my Bluetooth Headset, there is nothing more aggravating that realizing that I’ll need to make a charging pitstop soon; being able to quickly recharge on the go is much more preferable. When I was on my recent trip to New York, I found that even the Mophie Air wasn’t enough to keep my iPhone going on the day we traveled…

iPhone 3G/3Gs Razor Skins from JAVOedge Review

Reviews

iPhone 3G/3Gs Razor Skins from JAVOedge Review

JAVOedge has released a new case for the iPhone 3G and 3Gs.  The Razor Skin is a lightweight silicone style case that’s rubberized texture offers a good grip and slip protection yet it remains soft to the touch. The case is available in two unique styles.  Blossom and Cortex.  Each style features a laser cut out etched pattern on the back that includes a translucent layer which allows your iPhone to shine through the back. JAVOedge was kind enough to give me both cases to review.  Here are my thoughts.

Otterbox Commuter and Commuter TL Colors for iPhone 3G &3Gs Review

Reviews

Otterbox Commuter and Commuter TL Colors for iPhone 3G &3Gs Review

A few weeks ago Dan and I took a look at two new cases for the iPhone 3G & 3Gs from Otterbox. The Commuter and the Commuter TL both offer Otterbox’s tremendous quality in a slimmer, less bulky manner than Otterbox’s most famous case, the Defender. When the cases first launched they were both available in only black with the promise of various color options to come. Fast forward to today and the color pack add-on backs for the Commuter and the colored Commuter TL cases are now shipping.

Idox Travel Case for iPod touch Review

Reviews

Idox Travel Case for iPod touch Review

Here is an iPod touch case that stands out from the crowd…literally. The idox Travel Case offers superb protection for your iPod touch (it is also available for the iPhone and iPod nano) while also providing a great travel stand whenever you need it. The company was kind enough to send me a review unit keeper, and I have been putting it through its paces. Let’s take a look…

Dexim P-Flip for iPhone & iPod Touch Review

Reviews

Dexim P-Flip for iPhone & iPod Touch Review

If you follow me here on Gear Diary you probably know I’m quite fond of convergence devices.  I really like when manufacturers release new, innovative products that complete more than one task.  Maybe it’s the fact that these devices lighten the load in my gear bag, maybe it’s the fact that as I get older I prefer to have to remember to pack less things.  Either way I appreciate these multi-function gadgets. Dexim has a variety of convergence devices for the iPhone & iPod Touch and they were kind enough to give my one of their newest to review. The…

An iPhone/iPod cable that withstands a beating

Reviews

An iPhone/iPod cable that withstands a beating

From what I understand it’s a fairly common problem with the iPhone & iPod charge and sync cable.  It’s also a problem that causes both costly and aggravating results. After pulling it out from the dock connector of your device countless times, the wire that connects to the dock plug becomes damaged.  It’s simply not built all that heavy duty and the stress from pulling and pushing on the cord over and over again breaks it down.

Speck Protects... Your iPod Touch and Nano In Style

Reviews

Speck Protects… Your iPod Touch and Nano In Style

I’m a huge fan of Speck’s cases. They always offer great style, excellent value and superb protection. They recently rolled out some new cases for the new iPod touch and iPod nano, and they were kind enough to send along some units to review and then use. Let’s take a look…

X-Mini Speakers Review

Reviews

X-Mini Speakers Review

X-Mini makes some really functional and really small speakers which are meant to be used with your multimedia devices. The company was kind enough to send over a both their X-Mini II & X-Mini Max II for review. Do these tiny speakers pack enough punch to rock out too? Read on to find out.

New iPhone cases from Griffin Technoloy

Reviews

New iPhone cases from Griffin Technoloy

Griffin was one of the very first accessory manufacturers to churn out items for Apple’s line of personal media players.  They’ve been making cases, chargers, FM transmitters and other items for a long time.  There’s an old marketing phrase that goes something like “innovate or die.”  It seems Griffin recognizes this, and instead of sticking with the same lineup of cases year after year they’ve recently released several new iPhone cases for the iPhone 3G and 3Gs. Griffin was kind enough to send Judie and me a few of the new cases for review.

Powermat Wireless Charging System - Review

Reviews

Powermat Wireless Charging System – Review

Why should the Palm Pre have all the fun when it comes to cordless charging? Well now, thanks to Powermat USA, just about any device can charge without being directly plugged into a power socket. And if you have an iPhone, iPod touch or Blackberry device, all you have to do to charge them is… well nothing, you just put them on the table. Here’s a look at this innovative system…