Oh! Gizmo

By Andrew Liszewski

I always thought that diving itself was supposed to be an enjoyable activity, so I’m scratching my head as to why anyone would need to bring along some other form of entertainment while down there. But that’s exactly what the iDive300 deep dive waterproof case is for. It’s designed for the iPod, iPod Touch and the iPhone and allows you to watch movies or listen to music (with an included pair of over the ear speakers) at a depth of up to 300 feet underwater. And while down there you’ll still have control over your media thanks to a set of waterproof buttons on the side of the case.

With a price tag of $349.99 the case is kind of hard to justify, even if it does make decompression stops a bit less boring, but it does come with peace of mind thanks to a replacement warranty for your iPod or iPhone should anything ever happen to them as a result of the iDive300 failing.

[ iDive300 ] VIA [ bookofjoe ]

By Andrew Liszewski

My eyes usually glaze over when I come across yet another iPod/iPhone speaker dock, but there’s just something about the iF500 from Edifier that managed to pique my curiosity, and I think it might have something to do with the massive bulbous speaker clearly designed to mock subtlety. The iF500 supports various models of the iPod and iPhone via a built-in dock, but an aux input also allows you to connect anything featuring an audio output like cellphones or other MP3 players that clearly aren’t worth mentioning by name.

A “5 driver speaker system incorporates unique vibration and resonance control technolories coupled with low frequency porting and mid-range tuned cavities for smoother cleaner audio” and it also comes with the company’s patented EIDC or ‘Electrical Intelligent Distortion Control’ system if inane acronyms are an important feature for you. But if looks or sound quality aren’t enough to convince you to drop $249 on the iF500, keep in mind it also comes with a digital FM tuner!

[ Edifier iF500 iPod/iPhone Speaker ] VIA [ Crave ]

By Chris Scott Barr

iPhones and iPods can be great for watching videos, but only if a single person is trying to view them. However, if you’re wanting to show something to a group of people, you’re not going to want them to crowd around your tiny screen are you? Well later this year you’ll be able to pull out a small accessory that will make your videos large enough to be viewed by all.

The Mili Pro LED projector is a cool little dock for your iPhone or iPod Touch. Just slide your iPhone into place and it will project an image roughly equivalent to a 40-inch TV. The picture will be displayed at 640 x 480, which isn’t going blow your mind with its clarity, but it will get the job done. Having something this small that hooks up to your iPhone/iPod Touch (or any other device using VGA or RGA connectors) would certainly be appealing for the business types giving presentations, or anyone else just wanting to show off video on a bigger scale. Look for this in September for around $300.

[ PhoneSuit ] VIA [ Dvice ]

By Shane McGlaun

I hate to have to plug my iPhone in to charge. My wife keeps my office as dark as a cave to shave five cents off our electric bill so I usually can’t see where to plug my iPhone in. After over a year of use the charge port is rather lose as well. I really want an iPhone with something like the Pre Touchstone charger.

Today I got my wish with a new product form WildCharge for the iPhone that allows Pre-like charging by just sitting the iPhone down. The good news is that the charge system works on any iPhone from the original to the new 3GS.

The WildCharge Skin is a durable form fitting case that can protect the iPhone from drops and has a little part on the inside that plugs into the charge port of the phone. Then all you need to do is sit the phone on the WildCharger Pad to get power to your phone. The skin is available for $34.99 and a kit with the skin and the charge pad is about $80. The only downside I can see is that it appears you have to remove the case to synchronize your phone.

[ WildCharge ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Finally, after three different software versions, the iPhone has push notifications. Sure, it got plenty of other cool additions, but being as connected to the world as I always seem to be, this is one of my favorites. One of the first apps to roll off the line with push support is AIM.

I barely used the previous versions of the AIM app, since you had to keep it open in order to continue a conversation with someone. That’s not convenient in the least. However, if you download the latest version, you’ll be able to set the app to keep you logged in for up to 24 hours after you exit. During this time you appear online to your buddies and any messages will pop up on your phone. It’s definitely worth updating, even if you just go with the ad-supported free version.

[ AIM (iTunes link) ] VIA [ Tech Crunch ]

By Shane McGlaun

I am still rocking the original iPhone so I don’t get that snazzy GPS location feature. Sure, I can find my general location with the phone using cellular towers, but have often wished for a full GPS device when I was on the road.

Navigon has announced a new application coming to America for the iPhone 3G and 3G S soon called MobileNavigator. The app is only compatible with devices running the 3.0 OS update. The app stores a full map database on the iPhone and offers turn-by-turn routing.

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By Shane McGlaun

Getting in shape isn’t always a chore. Well for me it’s pretty much a chore, but at least we can use some of our gadgets to help get the job done. One of the best gadgets for getting fit is the iPhone; there are tons of apps that you can use for all sorts of health needs.

The latest get fit app for the iPhone comes from Men’s Health. The app is called Men’s Health Workouts and it sells for $1.99 with 18 exclusive workouts included and over 125 different exercises. The exercises are compiled from some of the world’s top strength and fitness coaches, athletes, and fitness experts.

Each workout offered in the app provides step-by-step instructions, photos, and logging functions along with a one of a kind circuit-training interface. The program is also OS 3.0 compatible and offers new groups of workouts that can be purchased directly from within the app itself.

[ Men's Health ]

By Andrew Liszewski

After using an iPhone for a couple of years now, I only yesterday realized how poor the camera’s macro capabilities were. Now obviously it’s not something I use on a regular basis, but the ability to snap usable photos of text from magazine articles or even business cards can definitely come in handy. So the options for iPhone 2G or 3G users are to either upgrade to the new 3GS, which could be rather expensive depending on your current contract, or just grab this Clarifi case from Griffin Technology for just $30.99 (currently on sale).

Not only will the durable polycarbonate case protect your phone, but it also features a sliding macro lens on the back which improves the iPhone camera’s focus distance from about 18 inches down to 4 inches, allowing you to finally take half-decent close-up shots.

[ Griffin Technology Clarifi Case ] VIA [ Cool Hunting ]

By Shane McGlaun

Yeah the battery life on my first gen iPhone sucks. Every time we stop somewhere, my kids want to play games on my phone and if I get bored while my wife drones on about whatever it is that wives talk about streaming YouTube videos kills the battery too.

There are already some iPhone batteries on the market and FSP Group is bringing another one to the U.S. in July via Newegg. The battery pack will carry an MSRP of $29.99 and offers 1500mAh of power. The device includes a universal USB adapter for any device charging from USB and includes a specific adapter for the iPhone and iPod.

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