It’s a double-sized, doubly good edition of our iOS-accessories roundup! This week, we’ve got new ways to hear music, new ways to mount your iPad, and plenty of new ways to power up.
The $50 Auris music receiver—which started as a Kickstarter project but is now a shipping product—lets you play music through your old 30-in-dock-connector speaker dock from across the room. Just plug in the receiver, and it’ll stream tunes wireless from any iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, or other Bluetooth-audio-capable device within 33 feet.
The $50 Keystone ECO Booster 2.0i adds five hours of talk time to your iPhone. It’s small and slim, attaches to the back of the phone, and includes a retractable USB 2.0 cable to let your charge and then move on.
The $90 PowerFlask lets you power up to three devices at once—and, yes, it’s designed to look like the leather-wrapped flask your grandfather carried during Prohibition. The power bank includes two 30-pin iPad/iPhone dock connectors, a USB-to-Micro-USB charging cable, a USB-to-Dual-Micro-USB charging cable, and a USB power adapter.
ECBC has announced three new lines of electronics-carrying luggage for this spring—the Sparrow will be a rolling carry-on bag with a front-zippered flap for your electronic gear; the Falcon is a rolling duffle with exterior pockets for laptops and tablets; and the K8 is a backpack that offers similar access for electronics. The new cases will range in price from $299 to $399 and will be available in May.
The $50 SuckR Mount lets you attach your Hitcase-encased iPhone to nearly any surface to capture photos and video of items in motion. The device will be available “soon.”
This battery maker has two new iOS-compatible products on the market, including the $40 Jackery Bar, (pictured) which offers an extra 120 hours of operation, but weighs only 5.4 ounces. The $30 Jackery Mini offers 50 extra hours of use, and weighs in at just 2.7 ounces, making both batteries nearly as mobile as your mobile phone.
The $25 Airframe attaches to your car’s dash vents, providing hands-free use of your iPhone while you’re on the road. Airframes can currently be pre-ordered; the company says the device will ship in April.
The $200 Mocet Communicator puts your iPad at the center of an enterprise-style phone system, complete with wired-in handset to use over VoIP networks, including FaceTime and Skype. The iPad recharges while it’s docked in the device, meaning it’s ready to go when you are.
Nite Ize recently unveiled a slew of new products, including the $35 Steelie Car Mount Kit (pictured) for iPhone; the $60 Steelie Pedestal Kit for mounting iPads to desktops; and the $40 Steelie HobKnob Kit iPad stand. The company has a full list of new products on its website.
The $80 Mobile Stand for iPad is an aluminum accessory that weighs in at just 2.5 ounces and offers “unlimited” viewing angles. It’s thin, sturdy, and can be used in conjunction with Apple’s Smart Cover for iPad.
This company has a a new series of stands for tablets and phones, including the $159 FrameShift Pro iPad Stand, (pictured) the $79 FrameShift Mini, the $35 “Norm” iPhone 5 mount, and the $10 Traveler suction-cup mount.
The Backlit(iPad 2, 3, and 4; $90) is an ultrathin keyboard case for your iPad that, as its name suggests, features backlit keys—capable of seven color combinations!—for visibility in even low-light conditions. The Backlit is available in black or white to match your tablet, and it uses a magnetic attachment to secure your iPad while in use and during transport.
The $100 Juice Pack Air is a battery case for the iPhone 5 that doubles the battery life of your phone. It offers more, um, juice than the company’s Juice Pack Helium, released just a few weeks ago. The Air is available in white, black, or red. (See our full review.)
The Airbender keyboard case (iPad 2, 3, and 4; $60) features a clamshell construction to protect your tablet and hosts a low-profile Bluetooth keyboard built especially for comfort and compactness. The case also doubles as a stand, and it’s compatible with the iPad’s magnetic sleep/wake mechanism.
The $50 Smart Stand for Apple iPad does precisely what it says on the tin, offering tabletop mounting that can be adjusted so you can view the screen from a variety of angles. The stand has a metal base, a polycarbonite frame, and comes in black.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.