Digital home control may be the way of the future, but much of the current technology is still out of reach for the average consumer. It's expensive, complicated, and not very user-friendly. But there are companies looking to change that.
Take the Elphi, for example. This new "smart plug" is looking to change the way we look at home automation. Simply plug the Elphi into an AC outlet, plug in any AC-powered device to the Elphi, and open the accompanying iPhone app...
You know we're big fans of Kickstarter projects here at iDB. While some of them are kinda wacky and don't bring anything new to the table, others are quite innovative and make me go "I need one of these." That's exactly the case of Vavo, a universal mount and stand for iPhone and other devices that recently launched on Kickstarter.
The folks behind Vavo aren't stranger to Kickstarter or iDB. A couple months ago, they successfully launched Foco, a sound-enhancing device for the iPad, with a little help from iDB.
Today, we sit down with Adewale Adeluyi-Adelusi and Bojan Smiljanic from Unique Design Solutions and ask them more details about Vavo...
If you're a case-maker trying to play in a crowded space like the iPhone market, you really just have two options. One, try to be the best (see Otterbox, Case-Mate). Or two, use a niche to try and appeal to as big of an audience as possible.
PowerA has definitely gone with the latter strategy for its new line of officially licensed, Star Wars cases. Well I guess if you're targeting large audiences, the iPhone-toting Star Wars crowd isn't a bad choice...
With a dual-core processor, 512MB of RAM and Wi-Fi capabilities, the iPhone 4S is more of a portable computer than a cell phone. And the folks at Clamcase are looking to capitalize on that.
Introducing the Clambook, a MacBook Air look-a-like laptop shell that aims to turn your iPhone into a portable computer, complete with a 16:9 laptop display and a full-size keyboard...
Not too long ago we told you about a new Kickstarter project that caught our eye. Called the Touchtype, the project offered up a new type of iPad case that really piqued our interest.
More than just an iPad case, the Touchtype promised to offer a safe home for not just your tablet, but also an accompanying Apple wireless keyboard. If you've ever wanted to leave your hefty MacBook Pro at home when popping down to the coffee shop to do a little work, then the Touchtype aimed to make using your iPad for work a real possibility.
The thing is, and as we have all witnessed before, Kickstarter projects all look great when asking for money, but what about the finished article? We have been lucky enough to spend some time with a shipping version of the Touchtype, and we don't think you'll be disappointed...
Summer isn't going to to be here for another couple of weeks but the the folks at ZAGG and iDB have decided to kick off the season early with an awesome giveaway that you won't forget anytime soon.
Our good friends at ZAGG have been generous enough to offer iDB readers $1,400 worth of iPhone and iPad accessories, so we have decided to put up a simple contest to give those accessories away...
MacRumors spotlights an interesting new iPhone accessory from Grove, a well-known iDevice case-maker, called the SkateBack. As the name implies, the SkateBack is an iPhone case made from recycled skateboard scraps.
The company has teamed up with MapleXO — an outfit known for its recycled skateboard jewelry — to produce the covers, which work with both iPhone 4 and 4S models, and are constructed of 100% waste materials...
ZAGG, the makers of InvisibleSHIELD among other accessories for iOS devices is having a massive sale starting today, and going on until tomorrow.
Almost everything on ZAGG.com will be discounted. ZAGGsparqs, ZAGGsmartbuds, invisibleSHIELDs and their skins will be 50% off. The iPad keyboards, including the ZAGGfolio, will be 20% off, which is a pretty darn good deal if you ask me...
Last month, a Kickstarter project by the name of "Pebble" took the iOS community by storm. The iPhone-compatible wristwatch broke practically every Kickstarter record in existence, nabbing $10 million in pledges from 70k backers.
Capitalizing on this newfound demand for iPhone-connected smart watches, Meta Watch has just released an update to its Android companion. The new version includes support for the iPhone 4S and the iPad 3, along with Bluetooth 4.0...
Wondering where music technology is headed? Look no further than the gTar, by Incident. The iPhone-powered electric guitar not only puts hundreds of songs and digital effects at your finger tips, but it'll also teach you how to play.
Simply drop your iPhone into the gTar's 30-pin dock, load up the accompanying app, and an array of interactive LEDs along the fretboard will guide you through your favorite songs. Playing a real instrument has never looked so easy...
Every night, as I'm going to bed, I dock my iPhone on a Sony-branded alarm clock and attempt to plug in my iPad to its USB power adapter. I say attempt because in the dark, that's not exactly an easy task.
Well, TechCrunch points to a new Kickstarter project that is looking to change that. CordLite, the product of Scrap Pile Labs, is an iOS device charging cable that provides illumination in low-light settings...
Water damage. It's a concern on the minds of nearly every major smartphone manufacturer out there, and their customers. And while companies like HZO and Liquipel are trying to change that, their technologies aren't quite there yet.
So while we wait for some of the new-aged tech to mature, there's still plenty of physical case options to choose from to make your iPhone waterproof. And if you happen to be a minimalist, you might want to check out the Case Marine...