Accessories

Scosche unveils new Lightning accessories

It's been nearly two months since Apple released the iPhone 5, and accessories for the handset are still extremely hard to find. So far all we've seen, as far as Apple-approved add-ons, are a car charger and sync dock from Belkin.

Good news this morning though. The California-based Scosche Industries has announced its own official lineup of Lightning accessories, which includes a wall charger, a car charger, and a retractable USB charging/sync cable...

iPad mini gets the 24kt gold treatment

If you though the iPad mini was overpriced at $329, wait until you see the tablet dipped in gold. As it does with all new Apple products, the folks over at Gold & Co. have given the new mini the 24kt gold treatment. And although it's the definition of ostentatious, we have to say that it looks magnificent...

iHelicopters release a new iDevice-controlled toy: the iUFO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98p_epP0TRQ

iHelicopters, the makers of iPhone-controlled vehicles are on a roll again. After creating a lineup of iPhone-controlled helicopters, RC cars and the rocket-launching Cobra copter, their latest offering is the iUFO. As the name suggests, it's a flying device that resembles an unidentified flying object. Its rotor system is maneuverable via your iPhone, iPad or iPod using a free app that talks to the unit via the transmitter which plugs in the headphone jack .

Its spherical design is aimed at protecting the rotors from hitting nearby objects and breaking. The manufacturer says the system even allows iUFOs to roll over the ground without crashing the rotors and says you don't have to worry about crashing the unit against the walls or ceiling...

Jawbone releases a re-tooled Up fitness band

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l3xk48GsPIg

Accessory maker Jawbone debuted its iPhone health bracelet called the Jawbone Up in September of last year. Despite strong initial sales, the promising gadget quickly proved a PR disaster amid a flood of complaints about poor build quality, imperfect water resistance and a number of other issues.

A year later, and just in time for the holidays, Jawbone is back at it with an improved version of the fitness band that the company says is free of teething problems which plagued early adopters. In fact, Jawbone is so confident in nailing quality control that it dedicated a significant portion of the above promo clip to highlighting detailed testing, design and manufacturing that went into creating the band...

Never lose your wallet again with Wallet TrackR

Losing your wallet can be a pretty taxing event. In addition to the cash and other valuables you lose, you're forced to call and cancel your credit cards, and have to replace your drivers license, insurance cards and other items.

But what if there was a way you could be sure that you wouldn't ever lose your wallet again? That's the dream that the folks over at Phone Halo are selling with its new app-connected Bluetooth card known as Wallet TrackR...

New iOS-friendly Fender guitar spotted in Apple’s web store

With the holidays just around the corner, Apple has been seen stocking up on app-enabled accessories. A few weeks ago we noted that the iPad-maker had started selling iPhone-controlled lightbulbs, and now it's added an iOS-friendly guitar to its inventory.

Fender, a long-time legend in the guitar business, has created a custom version of its popular Squier Stratocaster guitar with built-in USB and iOS connectivity. This means that you can plug into anything from a complex digital studio, to your iPad, and rock out...

Grab yourself a MOBiLE CLOTH, the king of cleaning cloths [giveaway]

We at iDB are big MOBiLE CLOTH fans as you can see from our previous review and multiple giveaways. "Who would get excited about a cleaning cloth," you may be asking yourself. Well, after testing the cloth, we were pretty blown away. I recently tried my hand with a MOBiLE CLOTH and it certainly lived up to expectation. Without any additional cleaning agents or sprays, the dry cloth effortlessly destroyed all of the finger prints and smudges I accumulated while killing baddies playing one of my new favorite apps, ARC Squadron during my review. What impressed me the most is the effortless cleaning process.

To celebrate the launch of the iPad (4th gen) and iPad mini, we teamed up with MOBiLE CLOTH to also giveaway a 24 cleaning cloth gift set...

Protect yourself and your iPhone with this unique case

Multi-purpose iPhone cases are a dime a dozen these days. Some of them house an external battery, others have built-in credit card holders; we've even seen a case that doubles as a bottle opener.

But we don't remember ever seeing a case with a built-in pepper spray compartment — until now. Meet the Spraytect iPhone case, the iPhone case that can protect both you and your beloved handset...

Meet KOLOS, the world’s first iPad gaming wheel

We've seen a number of gamepads built for iOS devices over the years, but this has to be the first time we've ever seen an iPad gaming wheel. In fact, the developers of the KOLOS say it's the first of its kind.

The KOLOS is a tabletop steering wheel that cradles your iPad and uses its built-in accelerometer to give you a more realistic gaming experience when playing titles like Real Racing and Need for Speed...

Philips Hue personal wireless lighting review

$199 for a lightbulb? Are you crazy?

Well, first of all, there are three lightbulbs included with the package, not just one.

Secondly, these aren’t your parent’s lightbulbs.

Lastly, yes, I'm a little crazy when it comes to tech.

Indeed, the Hue personal wireless lighting starter kit from Philips is expensive; we’ve established that both here and here already. But disregard the price for a minute, and check out our full video review inside to see exactly how these bulbs work...

Apple and MFi makers: Lightning is waterproof, ethical accessories

We relayed word mid-October that Apple would hold a two-day discussion with third-parties in Shenzhen, China the following month in order to discuss terms an guidelines pertaining to Lightning-compatible accessories that bear the Made for iPhone / iPod / iPad (MFi) program logo. In spite of secrecy, one publication has learned a few topics that are being discussed at the meeting.

For starters, Lightning I/O is waterproof. So, knowing the dynamically assigned pins of the Lightning connector won't corrode or degrade if dunked into water should make you feel good. I'm just taking a wild guess here, but it's quite possible Apple made this move to appease a cottage industry around waterproof accessories. More tidbits below the fold...