At long last, there’s a steady stream of Lightning-connector accessories for the latest generation of iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch. That and more in this week’s roundup of new iOS accessories.
The $250 Boom Box plays music directly from your iOS device, wirelessly, using a Bluetooth connection. It can play music for 10 hours without charging; it comes in black or white; and it can be used as a speaker on your iPhone conference calls.
Finally, it seems, there’s a steady stream of Lightning-connector accessories for the latest generation of iPhone and iPad. Macally’s $25 six-foot Lightning cable isn’t terribly fancy—it’s exactly what it sounds like—but isn’t it nice to know that’s third-party vendors are finally making cables?
The $59 MiniKey does something that’s perhaps a little counterintuitive: It turns your iPhone into a Blackberry-like smartphone, thanks to a case that features a slide-out Bluetooth keyboard for your iPhone 5, allowing the phone screen’s viewable area to be doubled while typing.
The $30 iPhone Viewfinder attaches to your phone’s screen to function as an eyepiece when your device is in camera mode. You can use it in conjunction with the Daylight Viewfinder app to frame your shot in old-school fashion.
The $74 Runalyzer Blue is a chest strap for bloggers. Slip it on under your shirt, and it transmits your heart rate and more to your iOS device via a Bluetooth connection. The result? Measure the effects of a workout on your body.
The $15 ReqKase for iPhone 5 lets you mount your phone on your bicycle’s handlebars, allowing for easy operation of GPS and other apps when you hit the trail.
The $120 SpotLite 2 is a tag that attaches to your pet’s collar. If Fido should go missing, just press your remote button and his location will be sent back to your iPhone.
Forget about reciting the alphabet backwards. The $25 Alcohol Tester for iPhone 5 plugs into your phone; blow into the air hole, and if your blood-alcohol content is too high to drive, the phone will sound an alarm to discourage you from taking the wheel.
Author: Joel Mathis
Joel Mathis is a regular contributor to Macworld and TechHive. He lives in Philadelphia with his wife and young son.