Oh! Gizmo

By Chris Scott Barr

It would appear that the forecast in Hell is cold and snowy. AT&T announced yesterday that they have officially decided to allow VOIP applications on the iPhone which use their 3G network. Yes, you did in fact read that correctly. You’ll be able to use a service such as Skype to make phone calls which don’t actually count towards your minutes.

They just informed Apple and the FCC of their decision yesterday, so don’t expect for apps to show up right away that take advantage of this. My biggest concern is how well AT&T is prepared for the extra load this is going to put on their network. It’s been proven time and again that their 3G network can be brought to its knees by a large gathering of iPhone users. Just imagine if they’re all using Skype for their calls.

[ AT&T ] VIA [ Dvice ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Joby has made some of the coolest little tripods for your cameras over the past few years, and now they’re bringing it to the iPhone. Their latest offering comes in the form of a soft-touch case for your iPhone 3G/3GS. The case features a locking clip which can be used to attach a set of Joby’s famous flexible, bendable legs.

As an added bonus, the Gorillamobile for 3G/3GS also has a universal camera adapter (1/4” tripod screw). This means that your new tripod isn’t just limited to your iPhone. If you have a regular camera, it can be attached as well. If you take a lot of pics with your iPhone, then this $40 tripod might be worth the investment.

[ Joby ]

By Andrew Liszewski

It might have been caught in the rain a couple of times, but I’m generally pretty good at protecting my iPhone from most liquid hazards. So there’s no chance I would ever take it near a pool, lake or ocean. But supposedly this waterproof case from Sanwa would make it safe for one to do so. Not only does it provide access to the touchscreen while the iPhone is safe inside, but there’s also a clear window allowing the camera to still be used, and a waterproof adapter for connecting a pair of headphones without liquids getting into the case. It’ll only set you back about $34, but before I took the plunge (ha! get it?) I think I’d like to see someone else give it a go first.

[ Sanwa Waterproof iPhone Case ] VIA [ DVICE ]

By Chris Scott Barr

Last month TomTom announced their first GPS app for the iPhone, which weighed in at $99. That’s one of the more expensive pieces of software out there, though on-track with some of the other GPS offerings. When I wrote about it, I expressed my disinterest in such an application due to its high price and the fact that it would be a huge drain on your phone’s battery. Sure, TomTom made mention of a Car Kit, which is basically a mounting kit for the phone which also serves to charge it. The real question was just how much this would cost you.

Well we finally have the answer to that question, and it’s just plain ridiculous. TomTom has announced that the kit will be available next month for the price of $120. To give you an idea, you can purchase the TomTom ONE XL for the exact same price. This device has a larger display (4.3-inches compared to the iPhone’s 3.5-inch screen) and as far as I can tell, all of the same features that are included in the iPhone app. So at the same price it might be a toss-up for some people, as having a full-fledged GPS application on the iPhone might be appealing.

Here’s where it gets really fun though. That $120 price does not include the software. That’s right, you’ll still need to pay $99 for the application. I really don’t know who was in charge of this over at TomTom, but they should be sacked. They’re offering all of the functionality of a $120 device for $220, and you have to supply the most important piece of hardware. I love my iPhone and all, but there’s nothing that could convince me to drop the cash on this grossly overpriced pair of products.

[ TomTom ] VI A [ CrunchGear ]

By Andrew Liszewski

Yes, we’re completely aware these Notepods are just a clever attempt to capitalize on the popularity of the iPhone and Moleskin notebooks, but we don’t care, we still want them. On one side you’ll find “52mm by 77mm of blank space floating in darkness… in a form reminiscent of a popular smart phone” (got to keep the Apple lawyers at bay I guess) and on the other, a light 6mm grid for technical sketches or tic-tac-toe. Like Field Notes, the Notepods are available in packs of 3, and even though they’re being sent from Australia, they’re just $17.95 shipped anywhere in the world.

[ Notepod ] VIA [ iSpazio ]

By Chris Scott Barr

I use Gmail for all of my email conversations. Sure, I have a couple of other email addresses, but I just pipe them to a single one over at Google. I can still respond through Gmail and have it show as being sent from my other addresses, which makes it really convenient. With all of my email going through the one Gmail address, I’ve been waiting for an official Push solution. Sure, there are other 3rd party apps that can get the job done, but not until today have we had something straight from the source.

If you’re an iPhone or iPod Touch owner (running 3.0 software or better) you can now get your Gmail (plus contacts and calendar) pushed to your device. This means no more setting your phone to check for email every so often. The only real catch is that it uses Microsoft Exchange to get this done. Since your iPhone can have only a single Exchange account, you may be out of luck if you’re already using it.

For those wondering, I got this setup last night, and while it was a little slow at first, it’s working like a charm this morning. Emails are showing up only a few seconds after I see them on my desktop.

[ Google ] VIA [ Dvice ]

By David Ponce

This doesn’t get much simpler. The GoGoStand is a plastic card with folds and cutouts. It’s the size of a credit card and fits in your wallet. Whenever you feel the need to watch something on your iPhone, you take it out, fold it and it turns into a stand. It can also be adjusted into three different viewing angles.

It’s all of $5, and we’ve included a video after the jump. It’s also currently sold-out until next week.

Read the rest of this entry »

By Chris Scott Barr

There have been plenty of arguments saying that cell phones emit harmful radiation and will basically turn your brain into a pile of goo. I’m not really sure how much of this I believe, after all watching too much TV was supposed to have a similar effect when I was a kid. Anywho, if you’re worried about radiation from your iPhone, then look no further than the Pong case.

This special case is supposedly able to reduce intense ‘hotspot’ cell phone radiation by 85%. That leaves only 15% of the radiation, which should be easily thwarted by your tin foil hat. Alright, so maybe they do emit radiation and whatnot, but this case will set you back $60. Really, do you want to drop that much cash on a case that looks decent and may or may not have radiation-blocking powers?  I think I’ll spend my cash elsewhere.

[ PongResearch ] VIA [ CrunchGear ]

By Chris Scott Barr

One of the biggest features of the iPhone is also its biggest issue (to some people). I’m talking of course about the touchscreen. The screen is beautiful, and it gives you the ability to do so many things that just aren’t possible on your average non-touchscreen phone. Of course when it comes to typing, there is absolutely no form of tactile feedback, making things a little more difficult, even impossible if you’re not staring directly at it. So what’s the solution? A crack-pot accessory that gives you real buttons on your iPhone!

I’m really not sure what to think about this iTwinge. Mostly I can’t figure out if it’s stupid or just plain retarded. The accessory makes you sacrifice almost half of your screen to get a keyboard. Yeah, you might type a little faster, but whenever you want to use your phone for any other function, you’re going to have to remove the iTwinge and put it somewhere. Seriously, if you’re that concerned about tactile feedback, just go get a Blackberry or something. This hunk of junk will set you back $30, plus your dignity.

[ MobileMeChattronics ]VIA [ CoolestGadgets ]