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Tag Archives: iPod

Tactile+Plus Adhesives Kind Of Add A Gamepad To Your iPhone

Tactile+Plus (Image courtesy Nosho-An)
By Andrew Liszewski

I’ll admit that I find myself gaming on my iPhone more and more these days, but they’re typically titles that take advantage of its gyro or touchscreen in an interesting way. So far I’ve yet to get into games that try and emulate the use of a traditional controller with on-screen directional pads or joysticks, because I find them difficult to play. But this unique accessory known as the Tactile+Plus could make gaming with on-screen controls a bit more doable.

It adheres to your iPhone or iPod Touch’s screen just like the plethora of screen protectors on the market do, making it easy to remove and/or reposition, but features little raised nubs allowing you to feel for where the on-screen buttons are located. The biggest problem with that kind of control scheme is when your fingers inevitably ‘wander’ off the buttons in the heat of combat or racing, but being able to physically find them without looking (like the nubs on your keyboard’s F & J keys) seems like an easy enough solution. From what I can tell, 2 sets of buttons which each include an 8-way and 4 individual buttons are ~$7.40 (¥600) so it’s a relatively cheap solution too.

[ Nosho-An - Tactile+Plus ] VIA [ Akihabara News ]

Incipio Linq iPod Nano 6G Watch Case – Here Comes The Flood

Incipio Linq (Images courtesy Incipio)
By Andrew Liszewski

My hats off to Apple for somehow managing to spawn yet another accessory line. This time around it’s watch strap cases designed to house the 6th generation iPod Nano, turning it into a wristworn timepiece. So far the options have been pretty sketchy in my opinion, but the Linq from Incipio features a full housing that will not only protect the Nano, but ensure it doesn’t get accidentally dislodged while worn. It will be available in 5 colors including a gray not pictured above, though when and for how much is unknown.

[ Incipio Linq ] VIA [ The Gadgeteer ]

Transform Your iPod Touch Into A Phone

By Chris Scott Barr

If you own an iPod Touch, I’m sure there’s been a time or two that you’ve wished it were an iPhone. Unfortunately transforming the device into one means finding a buyer for the iPod Touch, then signing up for a new 2-year agreement with AT&T. If only there were some sort of cheap Chinese gadget that could add phone functionality to it. Apparently there is.

A company called Yosion has crafted an iPod Touch case that, when combined with a regular SIM card, allows your device to operate as a normal phone. This includes placing/receiving calls and sending/receiving text messages. No, it won’t be exactly like having an iPhone, but it will still do the job. You’ll also get a secondary battery that’s going provide up to 4.5 hours of talk time. For between $45 and $75, it could be an interesting buy.

[ Yosion ] VIA [ Engadget ]

iLuv i1166 Looks Like The Perfect Travel Partner For Long Flights

iLuv i1166 (Images courtesy iLuv)
By Andrew Liszewski

If you haven’t caught iPad fever yet, and have a couple of long haul flights to deal with in the near future, you might want to give iLuv’s i1166 portable media player a shot. And even if you do have an iPad, the i1166 still has a few features you might enjoy if all of your movies don’t come from iTunes. At its core the i1166 is a portable DVD player featuring a generous 8.9 inch widescreen TFT LCD display (NTSC resolution I believe) but open it up to insert a disc and you’ll also find an iPhone/iPod Touch dock inside that allows you to control and enjoy content from those devices on the larger display.

On the bottom edge of the i1166 you’ll also find an SD card and a USB port for attaching flash drives, allowing you even more flexibility when it comes to how you access your videos, as well as 2 x 3.5mm headphone jacks for sharing with someone sitting next to you. It also comes with a remote if you have the player propped up on a desk far enough away to not have access to the controls. I’m going to assume/hope there’s a rechargeable battery stashed in there somewhere, otherwise the $299.99 price tag is a little steep.

[ iLuv i1166 ]

iPort Wall Mounts Integrate The iPod Touch & iPad Into Your Home Automation System

iPort CM-IW100T (Image courtesy iPort)
By Andrew Liszewski

It seems pointless to go out and buy a proprietary home automation system when Apple already sells what is essentially an ideal touchscreen interface with the iPod Touch and the iPad. So that’s why iPort has created these in-wall mounts that lets you use either device, via various apps, to control your home’s AV gear, lighting, home automation and even wirelessly stream audio to wherever they’re installed.

A built-in dock connector provides access to either device’s line level audio output and also provides constant power so they never need to recharged while docked. And in case you were wondering, once installed your iPod or iPad isn’t trapped forever since the front faceplate of the mount is held on magnetically providing easy access. The CM-IW100T pictured above sells for around $250 while the larger iPad-compatible ’2000T’ is $499.

[ iPort CM-IW100T ] VIA [ Electronic House ]

LimbGear iHood Provides Slightly Easier Access To iPod Controls

LimbGear iHood Interactive Hoodie (Images courtesy LimbGear)
By Andrew Liszewski

If there were ever two companies that should consider a merger, it would be the makers of these LimbGear iHood hoodies which incorporate iPod playback controls into the sleeve, and the makers of the HoodieBuddie we brought you last week, which replaced the hood’s drawstring with a functional pair of earbuds. The result would be the ultimate iPod-friendly hoodie, though probably quite expensive. The HoodieBuddie sold for $44 which isn’t that bad, but the LimbGear hoodie is $69. And in order for it to actually work you also have to buy the company’s PANiQ controller which is an additional $24.95. It’s kind of odd that it’s not included with the iHood since the gimmick is unusable without it, so I’m assuming it’s just a lame attempt to lessen the sticker shock, which brings the hoodie’s price tag to almost $100.

[ LimbGear iHood Interactive Hoodie ] VIA [ ChipChick ]

ReflexDock Pro Easily Connects Your iPhone And TV

By Chris Scott Barr

Having the ability to watch videos on your iPhone seems great, except for one small issue. The screen. I don’t care to watch anything of great length on mine, because staring at a tiny screen isn’t the way I like to enjoy a movie or TV show. However, if you can easily pipe the content to your larger TV, then it might make things worthwhile. This is exactly the idea behind the ReflexDock Pro from Konnet.

This simple-looking cradle is connected to your TV with an AV cable, which will allow it to display whatever video content is on your iPhone or iPod (you’ll need at least the 3G iPhone for it to work). It will also sync and charge your iPhone using the included USB cable, which means you aren’t going to drain your battery watching movies. I think the best use for this will be when the new Netflix app arrives later this year. Imagine streaming movies from your phone to your TV using a $50 cradle. I’m sold.

[ Konnet ]

Sony ‘Tune Tray’ Car Stereo Line Expands

Sony Tune Tray Car Stereos (Image courtesy Sony)
By Andrew Liszewski

Sony’s Tune Tray car stereo line was apparently introduced at CES this year with the DSX-S100 model pictured above. It’s yet another PMP-friendly deck with support for MP3 or WMA files, satellite and HD radio and a feature they call ZAPPIN which plays 6, 9 or 30 second clips of each song until you find the one you want. Pretty much the same thing as the ‘Scan’ feature that’s existed in car radios for years and years, but made cooler with the name ‘ZAPPIN.’ The most unique feature of the DSX-S100 though is the Tune Tray which uses the space that would otherwise be occupied with a CD player to store and protect your MP3 player inside while it’s connected.

And even though the DSX-S100 is still listed as coming soon on the Sony website, the company has just announced two new models, the DSX-S200X and the DSX-S300BT. The S200X adds a second USB port on the front for connecting an additional audio device, and Sony’s SensMe technology which creates custom playlists and channels from your music, kind of like iTunes’ Genius, while the S300BT gets all of the above plus Bluetooth support for hands-free calling and streaming your music over A2DP.

The DSX-S200X and DSX-S300BT are expected to be available in September for around $200 and $280 respectively, while the availability of the original DSX-S100 is still unknown, but should sell for around $150.

[ Sony DSX-S100 ] VIA [ CNET ]

iHome’s iP49 Is The First Travel Alarm Clock With An iPod Dock

iHome iP49 (Images courtesy iHome)
By Andrew Liszewski

While it’s admittedly a lot bulkier than your typical travel alarm clock, the iP49 from iHome is the first one I’ve seen that includes an iPod/iPhone dock, perfect if the hotel or friend/family member you’re staying with doesn’t already provide a similar amenity. It comes with an AC adapter to power the alarm/charge your iPod/iPhone, but if the place your staying doesn’t even have electricity, a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery is also at your disposal.

The iP49 has a simple folding clamshell design which protects the insides while it’s packed away in a bag or suitcase, and as you can see in the product shots, it doesn’t skimp on speakers either. According to the iHome site the alarm features “…Bongiovi Acousitcs’ patented Digital Power Station technology and four neodymium compression drivers…” providing studio quality sound wherever you are. Other features include separate weekday/weekend alarms, customizable snooze times and gradual wake and sleep volume controls so you’re not jarred awake in the morning. $159.99 available directly from iHome.

[ iHome iP49 ] VIA [ ChipChick ]