Saddled with the prospect of producing an unaffordable multi-Lightning-device docking station or offering a DIY alternative, Griffin chose the latter for PowerDock 5 ($100) — the latest generation of the company’s space-saving charging solutions. Made entirely from plastic that ranges from clear to black or white, PowerDock 5 places five […] Read the original post…
News: Report: Former iPod team, new hires focus iWatch on fitness
Apple’s rumored smart watch will focus on fitness, according to a new 9to5Mac report. Likely to be a wearable computer on the wrist, the “iWatch” is being developed by a team reportedly led by Senior Vice President Bob Mansfield, Vice President Kevin Lynch, and senior hardware director James Foster. Lynch, […] Read the original post…
News: Apple, other tech companies push for NSA transparency
Apple, along with other tech companies such as Google, Facebook, and Microsoft, will reportedly publish a letter asking for increased transparency in U.S. government surveillance. The letter will ask government leaders to let service providers report on national security-related information requests with more detail. Faced with accusations of surreptitious data […] Read the original post…
News: Apple pursues TV content apps, proposes ad-skip service
As Apple has recently released Apple TV app-like sections for HBO and ESPN while readying a Time Warner Cable app, the company has also “talked in-depth with other big distributors about similar apps,” according to The New York Times. So far, Apple’s move into TV has been focused on cooperating […] Read the original post…
Review: Ventev Powercell 3000
Made from soft touch rubber-coated plastic, Powercell 3000 generally resembles a miniaturized iPhone in shape, measuring roughly 4.25” tall, 2.15” wide, and just under 0.5” thick. Most battery packs in this capacity range are shorter in at least one dimension but considerably thicker, so Powercell 3000 stands out by looking […] Read the original post…
Review: Ventev Powercase 1500 for iPhone 5
Whereas most of the iPhone 5 batteries we’ve tested include 1900mAh or larger batteries, Powercase 1500 follows Juice Pack Helium in using a smaller 1500mAh cell—a decision Mophie justified by pitching Helium as its thinnest case yet. By contrast, Powercase 1500 is actually several millimeters thicker than all of the […] Read the original post…
Ask iLounge: Availability of Lightning vs Dock Connector Car Adapters
Q: In the days of the 30-pin Apple Dock Connector, we had a relatively large choice of car dock/charging accessories with the integrated connector. Why is it that there now does not appear to be any such cigarette lighter/vent/suction mounts with an integrated Lightning Connector? One that I’m looking for […] Read the original post…
Review: Invoxia Audioffice (2013)
This isn’t to say that Audioffice lacks for aesthetic appeal. In our prior review, we noted that “Invoxia has done such a great job with the industrial design of NVX 610 that we were beyond excited just to see it sitting on a desk.” Only modestly tweaked, that design continues […] Read the original post…
Soundfreaq Sound Spot SFQ-07
As Soundfreaq’s lowest-priced and smallest speaker to date, Sound Spot ($70, aka SFQ-07) continues the boxy design language of its predecessors, now with a single audio driver behind a circular grille. Also inside the enclosure are Bluetooth wireless hardware, a seven-hour rechargeable battery, and a rear-mounted USB port for pass-through […] Read the original post…
News: New Trent debuts Airbender Mini keyboard case
New Trent has released Airbender Mini ($40), a new protective keyboard case for iPad mini. Attractively priced relative to rivals, Airbender Mini features a rugged hardshell body and a Bluetooth 2.0 wireless keyboard. An adjustable arm lets users move the iPad mini into a horizontal or vertical viewing position. A micro-USB […] Read the original…
News: Apple gets patent on bulk metallic alloy production
A patent granted to Crucible Intellectual Property, the technology partnership formed by Apple and Liquidmetal Technologies, could enable mass production of amorphous metal alloys — otherwise known as metallic glass — in the fabrication of devices. The patent involves the creation of molten metal sheets that could be formed into […] Read the original post…
News: Google Maps 2.0 includes new iPad design
Google has released version 2.0 of its popular free Google Maps app for iOS today. The update most notably includes an all-new interface for iPad users, which has been absent from the app since its release late last year. Navigation has been enhanced to include live traffic updates and incident […] Read the original post…
Mac: Logitech Bluetooth Speakers Z600
Borrowing the unique soft touch rubber and fabric grille design debuted in UE Boom, Logitech’s new Bluetooth Speakers Z600 ($150) have been tweaked to match the looks and needs of Apple’s MacBooks. Featuring a tapered tube shape that may remind some users of a nuclear power plant, Z600 now consists […] Read the original post…
News: Cypress Semiconductor intros Lightning audio dev kit
Cypress Semiconductor has announced a new development kit that allows companies to quickly create audio accessories for iOS Lightning devices. The CY8CKIT-033A PSoC® 3 MFi Digital Audio Development Kit for Lightning is being offered to developers for $199, and as the name suggests, it streamlines the process of designing a […] Read the original post…
Mac: Epiphanie Austin
Long-time iLounge + Mac readers know that we’re always looking for novel bags that are capable of holding both a MacBook and a DSLR with accessories. Designed as a unisex option by Epiphanie—a company with numerous female-focused bags—Austin ($156) uses a messenger-style enclosure to accomplish this, including one pocket capable […] Read the original post…