This week’s roundup of iOS accessories features several add-ons for making great-looking movies, as well as new offerings to help you listen to music and draw pretty pictures.
Eco-iP4: Accessories for the iPhone don’t have to be complicated technological marvels—sometimes they’re as simple as a well-folded piece of cardboard. That’s the idea behind the Eco-iP4, a small stand for the iPhone 4 and 4S that displays your device at a reclining 45-degree angle. The business model here is slightly unusual: Make a donation via PayPal—no specific fee is mentioned—and the developer will send you a PDF of instructions on how to make the stand, using either A4 or American Leather cardboard.
GoSmart: There are two lines of $25 styluses on the way from GoSmart: the 300 Series and the 200 Series. The 300 Series looks like a rocket ship in your hand (and also includes magnets for attaching to metal surfaces), while the 200 Series looks more like a traditional pen. Each is designed for precision use and comes with Teflon-coated metal tips that glide easily across the screen of your iPhone or iPad without leaving scratches behind. Both models are available for pre-order, but don’t ship until Aug. 8.
iStabilizer: The $60 Dolly helps users shoot professional-looking video on the iPhone—just mount your phone on the device, which includes four inline-skate-style wheels for rolling across flat surfaces to create smooth tracking shots. The Dolly can be used with most phones and small cameras weighing up to 12.3 ounces. The device itself is small and lightweight, tipping the scales at just 1.3 pounds.
Klipsch: Klipsch’s new $100 Image S4i Rugged Headphones are made to take a beating, using rubber moldings for all-weather usability and extreme weather conditions. The inline remote is also extra-large so you can control calls and music even when you’re wearing gloves. And the S4i comes in four colors: yellow, orange, blue, or red—bright hues that will make it more difficult to lose.
Optrix: The $99 Optrix XD Sport transforms your iPhone into an “action sports camera.” The waterproof case includes a lens that shows action across a 175-degree range of view, which Optrix says makes the device perfect for shooting extreme sports such as mountain biking, skiing, and motocross. The case comes with a mount, letting users fasten it into place and shoot pictures and videos of themselves in action.
Padacs: If you own an iPad for on-the-go use, but a Windows-based machine for your desktop-computing needs, well, we won’t judge you. (Just kidding: We’ll totally judge you.) But you’ve probably noticed that the USB port on most Windows computers don’t provide enough juice to charge your iPad. Padacs is looking out for you with the new $20 RapidCharge cable, which makes it possible to charge your tablet when it’s connected to a Windows desktop. A status light shines blue when syncing, green when charging, or red when you’re putting to much strain on your USB port (or iPad). The company doesn’t say how the RapidCharge works this magic, but it ships on July 25.
RHA: Still looking for an upgrade from Apple’s signature white earbuds? RHA is offering the $50 MA450i, in-ear earphones that include seven pairs of silicone eartips to get the best fit. The company also says the RHA are designed for durability, crafted from solid aluminum. The earphones feature an inline remote/microphone for controlling your music and making phone calls, and the MA450i also comes with its very own carrying case.
USBFever: This accessory provider has several new products for iOS users. One of the coolest is the $23 Retro Camera Style Back Cover for iPhone 4 and 4S that, well, makes the back of your phone look like a camera. (Remember when cameras didn’t have phones?) Also new from USBFever is the $50 Car Floor / Seat Bolt Mount, which lets drivers and passengers view an iPad in landscape or portrait orientation—particularly useful for folks who use their tablet as a navigation device.
iPad (third generation) family
iPhone 4S family