This week’s roundup of new gear for your iOS devices includes several docks for charging and syncing — and maybe even for putting it at the center of your home-entertainment system.
The $100 DJ Connect lets you pre-cue music on any iOS device or any Mac running OS X 10.6 or higher. It comes with a Lightning-connector cable, a 30-pin dock-connector cable, and a USB cable for cueing with the Djay app on your Mac.
The $299 rDock-uni is designed to put your iPhone or iPad at the center of a home entertainment system, taking music from your device and processing it through Arcam’s higher-end digital-to-analog converter (DAC) for audiophile-grade sound (provided your music files are up to the task, of course). It’s available in 30-pin or Lightning-connector versions.
The $100 Swing N Click kit puts your iOS device at the center of your personal golf-training regimen. The package includes a tripod, a tablet mount, an iPhone mount, and a Click-IT Bluetooth remote. The remote triggers the camera on your iPhone or iPad, showing you if you have the proper mechanics while teeing off. The system ships in September.
Our friends at LikeCool.com spotted the $25 Dragon iPad Holder. (Despite its name, it actually works with any iOS device.) The stand consists of a pair of clips designed specifically to fit the back edge of Apple’s Wireless Keyboard. When attached, you get an adjustable-width stand for holding your iPad upright for typing and viewing. The clips are available in multiple colors.
The $80 All-Terrain Sound is a Bluetooth speaker that aims to be among the roughest, toughest accessories you own. (A promotional video on the vendor’s site shows the speaker sitting half-submerged in a stream of water, continuing to play music without any apparent difficulty.) The speaker can play up to 12 hours on a charge of its lithium battery, and it includes a microphone that lets you use the speaker as a speakerphone.
The $35 Superdock can charge either your iPhone or iPad while displaying the device in portrait orientation. The dock comes with a five-foot USB cable, and uses a pivoting Lightning-connector plug to fit devices with different thicknesses.
The $35 Monopod is billed as “the perfect selfie creator.” It’s a three-foot-long (when extended) rod with a camera mount at the end. Stick your iPhone on the mount, program it for a delayed shoot (or connect a remote trigger that pairs with a photo app for the phone), extend the phone away from you, and smile.
The $80 Crasher 2.0 is a portable Bluetooth speaker that’s built for stamina, style, and stomping: It can play 18 hours of audio before needing a recharge; you can choose a variety of skins to personalize the speaker to your tastes; and it plays louder than the Crasher 1.0. A nice bonus is that multiple Crashers can be daisy-chained to multiply the sound – and, presumably, the fun.
The $60 Hue Pro is a 10,000-mAh battery pack, capable of powering two mobile devices at once. It also includes a built-in flashlight, so you can find that missing iPhone in the dark.
The $10 Grips are soft-gel attachments for the back of your iPad to give you a better (and more-comfortable) grip. Says the vendor, “Grips enhance the users [sic] ability to handle their iPad with added comfort, especially over extended periods of use.” Grips are compatible with all models of iPad.
The $40 Magnus Air is a desktop stand for the latest-generation full-size iPad. It features a rubberized-magnetic grip, so your tablet won’t slip, and it lets you display your iPad in portrait or landscape orientation. It’s a nice companion for a wireless keyboard, or you can simply use it to prop up your iPad for video or photo viewing.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.